CostumeVersettes

G1. Bear [bear with heavily bandaged lower leg happily eating honey out of a jar on top of a small linen covered table, rock or tree stump (also with berries and nuts), sitting next to huge jagged steel trap that is propped open with a big log or maybe a cross labeled "The Word"; maybe "First Aid by Jesus" kit nearby; make sure a chain and stake attached to the trap are showing]
Job 36:16 "He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food."
[ The Lord wants to woo us away from choosing things that will hurt us--life is so much sweeter when we follow Him and choose His ways! Sadly, countless people go through an unnecessary "crisis of conversion" in life. This is a type of bitter, painful path to the truth that is born of bad choices and experience learned the hard way. The devil’s jagged steel trap of sin slams painfully shut on many people before we finally realize God’s way really is best (Prov 18:12).
Satan makes sin look so tempting. He and his demons are skillful liars and con artists (John 8:44). They often tempts us to rationalize sin away (excuse it). They do this by convincing us a sin really isn’t so bad, or that our situation makes it okay, or some other wrong reasoning. But Satan doesn’t tell us that sin hurts us.....or about the guilty feelings, sickness, injuries, shame, ruined reputations, regret, depression, broken hearts, broken homes, debt, addictions, crimes, jail time and all the many other terrible results sin can cause. That is because Satan always, ultimately wants to destroy us--and it wouldn’t be good advertising if he told us what his real plans were (John 10:10)!
Not uncommonly, unfaithful humans try to trap us into doing wrong things, too. Many ignore the Bible, seemingly thinking themselves smarter than God. Those with something to gain--like, for instance, drug pushers--want us to sin so they can make more money. Others want us to sin so they can get some other thing they want from us. Some want us to sin because they have done a certain sin and it would make them feel better to bring us down to their level (Jer 5:26, 8:9; Ps 38:12).
If we weaken and fall for some of those awful traps, we can still repent (turn from sin) and ask the Lord for forgiveness. He will welcome us back. With the Lord’s help, we don’t need to stay clamped inside those painful "jaws of distress," chained to a sin�..not even one that seems impossible to escape from! Not only that, the wisdom contained in God’s word can even help us help others escape from their traps of sin (2 Tim 2:24-26, Job 29:17, Ps 119:110).
Want to avoid a painful "crisis of conversion"? Reach out for the sweet word of God. Let Him gently woo you onto the better path. Learn to choose the right way in the first place!]
Ps 119:103
Ps 141:9
Ps 119:67

G2. Belly Dancer
1 Cor 12:17-18 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.
[ In Aesop’s tale, The Belly and Its Other Members, the parts of a body get mad at the belly. They feel it doesn’t have to do anything but eat while they work. So the parts decide not to feed the belly. After a few days, all the parts start to feel bad. They learned the hard way that:

(1) a person’s value is not always easy to see
(2) if one part suffers, all the parts suffer and
(3) they must all work together to thrive

This story teaches us every job in God’s service is important, not just the glamorous ones. God has given each one in the body of Christ different gifts for the common good (1 Cor 12:4-11, 1 Cor 12:28, Eph 4:11-13). The people with the fancy jobs should not consider themselves better than others, nor should those with smaller jobs consider those jobs unnecessary (Rom 12:3-8).
The body of Christ is built up piece by piece in countless ways, here and around the world. We can all contribute something! As former chaplain of the U. S. Senate, Everett Hale, said, "I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I should do and, with the help of God, I will do!"1 Together, there is no end to the good we can do (Eph 4:16)!]
1 Cor 12:21
1 Cor 12:24-27

1 William J. Federer, America’s God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations (Coppell, TX: FAME Publishing, Inc., 1996) 271.

An Extra Lesson: Ways Some Christians Serve the Lord

Below are numerous examples of how some people serve the Lord:

(1) preach; teach Bible classes, provide counseling, are missionaries or are lay leaders
(2) do miscellaneous work around the church: secretarial, help out in the nursery, build, maintenance, yard work, cleaning, direct parking, etc.
(3) translate, publish or distribute Bibles
(4) fight for family values and to preserve religious liberties
(5) help save and provide for babies
(6) build or operate Christian churches, schools, libraries, camps, missions, shelters and creation museums
(7) help with disaster relief
(8) drill wells in poor villages
(9) provide medical, dental, food, clothing or transportation support where needed
(10) teach job or survival skills in third world countries
(11) are intercessors (they pray for others)
(12) give more than the normal 10% tithe of donations
(13) do prison ministries
(14) counsel drug addicts, alcoholics and others in destructive lifestyles
(15) write, play, design, create, sing, act in or produce Christian literature, products, music, radio programs, television shows and movies
(16) maintain a godly example at home, school or at work
(17) lead family and friends to Jesus
(18) send letters, Bibles, gifts and care packages to our military personnel overseas
(19) mow lawns, do maintenance work, clean house or run errands for old folks
(20) recycle clothing, wheelchairs, baby furniture, vehicles, hearing aids, glasses, etc., for those in need

G3. Camel [child in camel costume, bags on ground around him, gate labeled "Needle’s Eye" in the background, or on hands and knees struggling through the gate]
Mark 10:25 "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
[ Not everyone agrees on how to explain what Jesus meant when He spoke of the "eye of the needle." Some believe ancient townspeople commonly built a small door called the "Needle's Eye" into their city gates to use when the gate was closed. Supposedly, a camel could struggle through the Needle's Eye if it was unloaded and if it knelt down. Picturing that could help remind us to focus less on possessions that load us down and more on seeking the Lord.
Can rich people get into heaven? Yes, however if one is too busy making money and buying "stuff," they may have no time for, or interest in, the Lord. Further, greed can so seriously cloud a person’s judgment that it can "plunge men into ruin and destruction" (1 Tim 6:9). For example, dishonest people would typically rather keep on making money through sinful means than live a godly life. Even some believers backslide into money-related sin and wander away from the faith (1 Tim 6:10).
Money may benefit people for the short time while they are here on this earth, but they can’t take it with them when they die and it can’t buy their way into heaven (Mark 8:36, Ps 49:16-17, 1 Tim 6:7-8, Eph 5:5). Only believing in and accepting Jesus can get someone into heaven (John 14:6). So "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 12:15). It is far better to focus on Jesus saving your ETERNAL soul than on gathering TEMPORARY belongings (1 Tim 6:11-12, Mark 8:36, Ps 119:36-37)!]
John 12:25-26
Mark 4:19

G4. Cattle [bull and cow standing in lush green field with a beautiful pond, heads stuck through barbed wire fence; cow eating from sparse grass outside of fence, bull drinking from muddy puddle of water on outside of fence]
Ezek 34:18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? . . .
[ Have you ever seen a bull or a cow standing in a huge field of lush grass with its head stuck through the fence eating the grass on the other side? It’s kind of funny, right? They are a good parallel to people who are always looking for something better, when what they already have is just as good if not better than what is available elsewhere!
This goes along with the saying "the grass looks greener on the other side." It is a matter of perspective (how you look at something). If you are standing in grass and look at the same kind of grass in the distance, it can look darker and more lush. However, once you walk over to the spot you were looking at, if you pay attention, you realize it wasn’t any better after all!
Life is not perfect and no matter what situation we are in, there will be some kinds of problems. Many people change their circumstances and then find that their new situation has more problems that the old one! This is not to say you should not reach for success to improve yourself, like getting a better education or a better job. But when God gives you good things (like, for instance, a loving family or good Christian friends) cherish them. Value them. Take good care of them. And thank the Lord for them.
Be smarter than the cows. Don’t stick your head through the fence and get all torn up on the barbed wires of life!]
Phlp 4:12
Prov 5:15
1 Tim 6:6

G5. Cave Dwellers [Bible-era man at cave doorway, head cocked, looking quizzically at stereotypical, cave-man (in caveman mask with dumb look on his face) holding club labeled "M. Link"; cave in background, curtains in window, Home Sweet Home sign and/or Welcome mat in front of cave]
Judg 6:2 Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds.
[ Did you know that in Bible times people sometimes lived in caves (1 Sam 13:6, 1 Kings 18:4, Heb 11:38)? Even King David spent some time in caves (1 Sam 22:1-2). In fact, some people still live in
caves today!
Here is another example of one of the many times caves were likely lived in during Bible times. A few thousand years ago the people who had descended from Noah and his family still spoke one language. They decided to build a city and a huge tower together, rather than obey God’s command to spread out across the earth. So God confused their language (Gen 11:9). People finally broke up into different groups and spread out*. It is logical to think that some temporarily took shelter in caves, at least until they got settled in other areas. They would likely have used stones as tools until each group without a metal expert figured out how to start mining and processing metals.1 Moreover, in some parts of the world (Africa, South America and the South Pacific), there are people groups who still use not only bows, arrows and spears, but tools made of rocks and bones.2 Sound like these things fit with the "caveman" stories?
All the cave-dwelling examples above are of regular people. They were not the hairy ape-men, "missing links" you sometimes see in make-believe stories and in books that teach the unproven theory that man evolved (developed) from apes. The theory of evolution has many, many faults and is not logical.
Ape-men "discoveries" have been shown to be incorrectly identified bones, very questionably identified bones or even purposely presented fakes. Yet even with only one tooth or with human bones, artists have drawn these to look sub-human. In fact, the following are explanations for some supposed ape-man fossils:

1. Australopithecus: extinct ape3
2. Eoanthropus dawsoni (Piltdown Man): hoax; purposely stained human skull and ape jawbone with teeth filed4
3. Cro-Magnon Men: human5
4. Gigantopithecus: extinct ape6
5. Hesperopithecus (Nebraska Man): based on a single tooth--a pig tooth7
6. Homo erectus: human8
7. Homo neanderthalensis (Neanderthal Man): humans, most with a bone disease9
8. Java Man: hoax: giant gibbon mismatched with human bones; human skulls found nearby; finder made deathbed confession of the hoax10
9. Australopithecus afarensis (Lucy): finder claims Lucy is an ape that walked upright, but used a knee joint found two miles away in strata 200 feet lower11
10. Orce Man: six-month-old donkey skull cap12
11. Peking Man: appears to be monkey-like; human fossils found at same site13
12. Ramapithecus: orangutan14

So��ape-men? No. When God made Adam, He made him fully human and even patterned Adam after himself. God also put Adam in charge of the animals.......including the fully-ape apes!
Gen 1:27

[*Notes: This division of people also helps partially explain the development of people groups with different skin tones due to isolation of the gene pool within groups who spoke the same language. See the "Peleg" costume page for more information. See also "The Monkey's Nephew" and "Young Earth" costume sections for more on problems with evolutionary thought. For some interesting quotes about the shortcomings of evolutionary theory, see http://www.2christ.org/quotes/ ]

1 Ken Ham, et al., The Answers Book (El Cajon, CA: Master Books, 1992) 153.
2 Duane T. Gish, The Amazing Story of Creation from Science and the Bible (El Cajon, CA: Institute for Creation Research, 1990) 93.
3 Henry M. Morris with Henry M. Morris III, Many Infallible Proofs: Practical and Useful Evidences for the Christian Faith (Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 1996) 315.
4 Gish 79.
5 Gish 85.
6 Dennis R. Petersen, Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation (South Lake Tahoe, CA: Creation Resource Foundation) 114.
7 Gish 80.
8 Henry M. Morris, Creation and the Modern Christian (El Cajon, CA: Master Book Publishers, 1985) 183-184.
9 Gish 81.
10 Petersen 119.
11 Gish 83.
12 Gish 82.
13 Petersen 118.
14 Gish 82.

G6. Computer Kid [monitor around head with cartoon face on screen, CPU around body, keyboard at center front of CPU]
Josh 1:8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
[ In this life we face a lot of challenges and tough decisions. Our minds are kind of like our internal computer. GIGO, a common computer term, means "Garbage In, Garbage Out." In other words, if you put bad data into your computer it won’t work well--it will produce bad data. We need to fill our minds with good input from God or else they will get filled up with bad input from the world.1
Ungodly beliefs and guidance from the world are like that bad data. Like a computer virus or an electrical overload, ungodly beliefs can really mess up your life. In a way, they can slow you down, bring you to a complete standstill, cause you to crash or even totally fry your circuits. Like, totally, dude!
On the other hand, the Bible is kind of like a well-designed software program we could call, "Max Truth, Max Joy, Max Success--Now and Forever." Daily Bible study gets good input/guidance into your internal computer. So, what happens when you are faced with questionable information, an unhappy situation or a tough decision that you don’t know how to handle? You can access that good data in your brain to help you decide how to deal with it.
Trust your Master Designer. He knows what attitudes and choices will bring you the most joy and success, now and forever. Like, awesome, dude!]
Phlp 1:9-10

1 Dennis R. Petersen, Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation (South Lake Tahoe, CA: Creation Resource Foundation) 15-16.

G7. Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543)
Job 25:2 "Dominion and awe belong to God; he establishes order in the heights of heaven."
[ Astronomy is the science of studying the heavenly bodies. Nicolaus Copernicus was a Polish astronomer. He believed that God designed the universe to be more well-ordered than the popular scientific theories of the day allowed. Copernicus studied the heavens and realized that our solar system is heliocentric, meaning the earth and the planets revolve around the sun. However, most scientists in his day believed that the solar system was geocentric. That is, they thought the sun revolved around the earth! We now know, of course, that Copernicus was right, not the other scientists.1
Think about that for a moment. This is a good example to show that just because a lot (or even the majority) of people believe something, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are right! After all, in spite of God’s word, people also once thought our round world was flat (Is 40:22)!
By the way, astronomy is a good thing. It is not to be confused with astrology, which is a bad thing. Astrology is an occult interest in the sun, moon and stars, involving such things as: horoscopes, zodiac signs, predicting the future (which is divination) and worshiping the heavenly bodies (which is idolatry). God’s word makes it very clear that He doesn’t want us to be involved with anything like that (Deu 4:19, 18:14).
Speaking of stars, one of the reasons many evolutionary scientists think the universe is very old is because they think it takes starlight millions or billions of years to reach earth. However, most creation scientists believe the earth is very young (see Young Earth costume section). They recognize that our all-powerful God who created Adam as a mature man, could just as easily create stars with "mature" light that reached the earth.2]
Ps 19:1
Neh 9:6

1 Mark Galli and Ted Olsen, 131 Christians Everyone Should Know (Nashville: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 2000) 345-347.
2 Ken Ham, et al., The Answers Book (El Cajon, CA: Master Books, 1992) 185-195.

G8. Couch Potato Kid [potato costume sitting on couch in front of TV, remote in hand; wearing large, hypnotized-type spiral glasses, bowl of popcorn and box of candies next to him; cobwebs growing on him]
Eph 5:15-16 Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity . . .
[ Our little potato is sitting on a couch. That can remind us of that silly name for people who sit around a lot just watching TV, playing electronic games or things like that--couch potatoes. They don’t accomplish much of anything, do they?
How do you spend your days? Do you use your time wisely? Do you try to do good things? Do you study your school subjects? Do you study the Bible? Do you try to help your family and friends? Are you kind and polite to others? Do you try to be a good influence on others? Do you avoid things that are bad for you, such as bad movies and bad people? Do you try to eat properly to help you stay healthy? Do you get the proper amount of exercise and rest to help you keep in good shape and have energy? Do you rest on Sundays and go to church? Do you set worthy goals and prepare properly to accomplish them? Do you pray before making big decisions and ask for God’s guidance? Do you take time to thank God for His many blessings? Do you tell your friends about Jesus and heaven?
Use your time wisely! Don’t sit around on a couch all day doing nothing. Want to avoid boredom? Try to accomplish something good and worthwhile every day!]
Gal 6:10
2 Thes 3:6

G9. Donkey [back feet plowing up dirt, or somehow show going opposite way of what owner wants; maybe draw with back to reader, showing hooves over ears]
Zec 7:11 "But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped up their ears."
[ Donkeys are known for being stubborn and ill-tempered. They are often pictured as going the opposite direction from where their owner wants them to go.
The word "donkey" is also used to describe a stubborn and foolish person. When a person becomes stubborn, foolish or rebellious toward God, or actually even forsakes Him (rejects Him forever), trouble eventually comes (Jer 2:19). Instead, the Lord wants to lead us onto a good path where we will be happiest, safest and feel the most fulfilled.
However, although God could easily force us to go the way He wants us to go, He won’t do that. He has given us free will. In other words, God lets us make up our own mind. You see, love that is forced is not love at all.
The Lord wants us to truly love Him. So, you can choose to go any direction you want. You could plug your ears and not listen to the gospel. You could walk far away from the Lord, no matter how dangerous or sad or miserable that path is (Is 30:15). What remains to be seen is this: Will you will be smart enough to choose the right way to go (Prov 21:29)? Will you let the Lord gently lead you down the path toward your greatest blessings? Keep those furry little ears open and listen to the Lord!]
Jer 7:24
Ps 32:9

G10. Dr. Albert Einstein (1879-1955) [formulas and E=mc2 on blackboard behind him; maybe also alpha & omega signs 1 = 1,000, 1,000=1 and man-sign]
2 Pet 3:8 . . . With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
[ German-born Dr. Albert Einstein was a famous Jewish physicist who became an American citizen in 1940. A highly respected man, at one point he was even offered the presidency of Israel, but turned it down. Many people feel Einstein, who won the Nobel Prize in physics in 1921, was the greatest scientist who ever lived.
A famous quote from Einstein is: "Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind." That quote helps remind us that science has never been able to disprove any facts that are in the Bible about man, animals, the earth or even the universe itself.
Einstein came up with a theory about time and motion being relative. Many people believe that in heaven we will have no concept of time--that we won’t be able to tell the difference between five minutes and five thousand years. Perhaps Einstein came as close to any human being on earth of understanding an eternal existence where time is relative!1, 2]
Eccl 3:11

1 Kelly Knauer, et al., eds., Great People of the 20th Century (New York: Time Books, 1996) 132-135.
2 Donald O. Bolander, et al., eds., Instant Quotation Dictionary (Mundelein, IL: Career Publishing, Inc., 1989) 223.

G11. Fencer
Prov 12:18 Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
[ There is a popular childhood saying that goes like this: "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Unfortunately, it’s not true, is it? Anyone who has had someone say unkind things to them knows how much it hurts. When people say cruel things to each other, it can hurt for a lot longer than physical injuries last--it can hurt for years! The Lord tells us that some words hurt us like sharp swords or arrows and cause much bitterness.
Criticism (finding fault with someone or something) especially, can be very painful to hear. On the other hand, there are some things that may be awkward to hear, but that people will want to know if you tell them privately [Ex: "Pssst--you’ve got spinach stuck to your teeth." "Pssst--your blouse came unbuttoned."]. Some remarks may actually help keep someone from harm [Ex: "I know you like her, but she is not safe to be around."] or keep them from years of emotional pain [Ex: "I know you love him, but I don’t trust him. He isn’t producing any good fruits and would not make a good husband."].
In general, when you are talking with others, make an effort to avoid saying things that might hurt their feelings unnecessarily. Use your tongue wisely--to do good, to build others up in love, to help others, to protect yourself or others and not to be cruel. Lastly, to improve on an old saying: "If you can’t think of anything nice--or necessary--to say, don’t say anything at all."

Criticism: 10 Things to Think About Before You Speak

1. Not sure if you should say it? Put yourself in their shoes (Prov 15:28). If it would hurt you, it would probably hurt them, so you might want to remain silent (Luke 6:31).
2. Try not to criticize anyone unnecessarily. If it is necessary, do it gently and speak the truth in love (Eph 4:15-16).
3. Did they ask you for your opinion? (even then, be tactful--truthful, but tactful - Prov 27:6)
4. Will it help the hearer stay out of harm or trouble, avoid embarrassment or punishment, learn to be more responsible, etc. (Eccl 3:7)?
5. Would it help the person avoid a sin (Ezek 33:8-9)?
6. Will it encourage someone to stop doing something that makes others uncomfortable (Ex: swearing or telling dirty jokes - Eph 5:4)?
7. Do you need to say it to protect you or someone else from harm or loss (Remember wicked people usually do not stop at one victim. - Ps 43:1, Prov 31:8-9)?
8. You do not need to be a doormat. It is perfectly okay to advise friends/dates you would prefer they treat you more politely and respectfully if they haven’t been doing so (and if they don’t change, find new friends/dates).
9. If you are angry with someone, wait until you calm down before you talk with them or you may say something you will regret (but try to take care of it before bedtime - Eph 4:26).
10. Will the potential benefits of your comment outweigh any potential hurt (Prov 27:9)?

Ps 64:3
2 Sam 2:26
Prov 18:21

G12. Fence-Sitter [cowboy on fence; side on viewers right has flowers, trees, Christmas tree with wrapped present underneath it (To: Everyone Love: Jesus), green grass, butterflies, sweet animals, narrow path with signs: happy face, "This way to Heaven" "Jesus Saves" "Family Reunions This Way"; other side has dry, cracked, bare ground with heat waves rising, sagebrush, cattle skull, rattlesnake, wolves, scorpions, broad path with signs: "This Way to Devil’s Deep" "Abandon All Hope All Ye Who Enter Here"]
Deu 30:19 . . . I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life . . .
[ A person who is "on the fence" is someone who can’t or won’t make up his or her mind about something. For instance, some people wonder if God is real, whether believing in Jesus would really get them to heaven and whether or not they should become a Christian. Eternal life in heaven is a free gift from the Lord. However, a person must get down off the fence and choose that gift. Like having an unwrapped Christmas present under the tree, if a person never chooses to open it, it will do them no good. We are either for Jesus or against Him (Mat 12:30). There is no in-between spot (Rev 3:16).
If a sinner dies without having chosen Jesus, it is just as bad as dying having rejected Jesus. Eternal blackness, pain, suffering and loneliness in hell will be their fate. We must choose to believe in Jesus if we want to receive His gift of eternal life and not die in our sins (Rom 6:23; John 3:18, 36; 8:24). Therefore, we should not harden our hearts, but instead "Seek the LORD while he may be found" (Heb 4:7, Is 55:6).
What if a person is still not sure? Blaise Pascal, a brilliant 17th-century French mathematician, scientist, philosopher and Christian, encouraged people to choose God, a Christian life and heaven. In Pascal’s Wager, from his most famous work, Pensees, he said made a statement that can be useful for fence-sitters. He said that the wise person would make the choice for Jesus because, "If you win, you win everything; if you lose, you lose nothing."1 In other words, if believers are wrong, they’ve got nothing to lose, but if nonbelievers are wrong, they’ve got everything to lose. So, know any fence-sitters? Encourage them to get off that fence and choose life!]
1 Kings 18:21
John 5:24

An Extra Illustration: The Buried Treasure
Blaise Pascal also said: "How can anyone lose who chooses to become a Christian? If, when he dies, there turns out to be no God and his faith was in vain, he has lost nothing--in fact, he has been happier in life than his nonbelieving friends. If, however, there is a God and a heaven and hell, then he has gained heaven and his skeptical friends will have lost everything in hell."2

Let’s illustrate Pascal’s quote one more way by telling a parallel story. This will help show the importance of accepting Jesus and His gift of eternal life in heaven--and of not delaying that decision either!

The Free Gold Coins
Let’s say you are almost broke and you have a fatal heart condition that can be fixed by only one surgeon in the world. His fee is $50,000.

Let’s say you dig a hole on your property to plant a tree and discover a large box full of old gold coins. You take the coins to a coin expert with an excellent reputation, who has a history of being right about coin values 100% of the time. The coin expert tells you the coins are worth $300,000,000 and gives you the name of a reputable buyer who would pay that price for them.

Now, you have three options:
(1)You can just stick the box of coins in a corner and ignore it�..and wait to die without your operation.
(2) You can take your time deciding what to do about the coins��and take a chance that you don’t die for lack of the operation before you decide.
(3) You can immediately sell the coins, get your operation, be cured and also have plenty of money for the rest of your life.

You’ve got nothing to lose by trusting the coin expert and selling the coins. You’ve got everything to lose by not selling them at all. Furthermore, you might possibly still lose everything if you don’t sell them soon enough. What will you do?

What This Modern Parable Represents
Fatal Heart Condition - The fatal heart condition that everyone needs to be saved from is sin (Rom 6:23).
Buried Treasure - The buried treasure is the free gift of salvation and eternal life.
Coin Expert - The coin expert who is right 100% of the time is like the Bible. Bible prophecies have always been fulfilled 100% correctly. Furthermore, no archaeological, scientific or historical discovery has ever disproved the Bible. The Bible instructs us on how to obtain the free gift.
Surgeon - The only surgeon who can fix your fatal heart condition is like Jesus--except you don’t need to pay for the cure (John 14:6).
$50,000 Operation Fee - Jesus paid for the price of your "operation" with His death on the cross.
The Choice - If you want to benefit from His free gift, you can’t just "stick the box of coins in a corner and ignore it." Jesus will not force His free gift on you. You must actually ACCEPT Jesus and His free gift before you die in order for Him to heal you of your fatal sin condition, give you a more abundant life on earth and reserve your spot in heaven (Eph 2:8-9)! So don’t wait--choose Jesus today!

Rom 6:23
John 14:6
Eph 2:8-9

1 William J. Federer, America’s God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations (Coppell, TX: FAME Publishing, Inc., 1996) 492.
2 Federer 492.

G13. Forever n’ Ever Friends [flapper costumes; facing front, one arm each around each other, big smiles]
Prov 17:17 A friend loves at all times . . .
[ Do you truly love your friends and want the best for them? How would you like to help your best friend go to a beautiful kingdom where everything is perfect, nothing ever goes wrong and everybody is always happy? You could, you know! It could happen if you gave them the greatest gift you could give to anyone--you could tell them about Jesus. If they decide to accept Jesus as their Savior (like, presumably, you have), they will not only have a more abundant life on earth, but as a "king’s kid" they will end up along with you in God’s beautiful eternity forever!
Although heaven will be wa-a-a-y more cool than we can imagine (1 Cor 2:9), the Bible does give us some hints about what it will be like. In heaven the gates are made of pearls, the walls of jasper, the foundations of jewels, the city of gold and the streets of gold (Rev 21:18-21). The crystal clear river of the water of life flows from the throne of God and the Lamb (Rev 22:1). The tree of life grows there, bears twelve crops of fruit and provides leaves for the healing of the nations (Rev 22:2).
We will see the Lord, there will be countless angels there, all our believing loved ones, Bible heroes, modern-day heroes and all sorts of new friends to make, too! Many people believe we will even have our favorite past pets and toys from earth there, too (Ps 84:11)! We will have perfect new, strong, youthful bodies (Phlp 3:20-21). Everything will look, sound, taste, smell and feel wonderful! We will never be sad, sick, tired, hungry, thirsty, in pain, lonely or bored. There will be fun things to do and many places to explore.
Share Jesus with your friends and if they accept Him, too, you can love and rejoice with your friends at all times--even forever n’ ever!]
2 Pet 3:13-14
1 John 3:2
1 John 4:11

G14. Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552) [in black cassock, carrying hand bell]
Mat 28:19 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
[ Born the son of a noble Spanish-Basque family, Saint Francis Xavier was ordained as a priest in the Society of Jesus. Traveling to India and Japan as a missionary evangelist, he taught many thousands of people about Jesus and the Bible. Besides teaching adults, the Jesuit priest is reported to have considered it important to teach children about God when they were young. In fact, he was known for walking the streets ringing a bell inviting the children to come to church and for encouraging them to share what they learned with their parents!1
It is believed Saint Francis may have baptized over 100,000 people. He is credited with numerous miracles, including raising people from the dead. Saint Francis is considered the greatest missionary since the Apostle Paul.2
Nowadays, there are many Christian missionary groups that operate here in the U.S. and around the world. The various groups perform many functions in addition to evangelizing and Bible teaching. For example, depending on the organization, some: feed the hungry; teach farming skills; give out seed and farm animals; provide medical and dental help; give vision tests and hand out glasses; provide clothes and toys; build or repair churches, missions and houses; operate schools and orphanages; and drill wells in villages where there was only dirty water to drink. Some groups even arrange for Jewish people to make aliyah (move to Israel)--which is a fulfillment of numerous Bible prophecies about the Lord re-gathering the Jews to their homeland.
You can support missions programs around the world through prayer, manpower and donations.* If you feel called to do it, you may even want to become a missionary yourself! Remember this great quote by Jordan Grooms, "If God calls you to be a missionary, don’t stoop to be a king."
[*Note: (1) A helpful way to see if a missions organization operates according to godly principles is to find out if they belong to the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. (2) Money is not the only kind of donation one can make to Christian organizations. Some of these groups redistribute donated items, recycle them to help those in need, or sell them (to make money with which to do work for the Lord). Some donations different organizations may take include (but are not limited to): food, Bibles, clothes, blankets, books, toys, furniture, household items, vehicles, houses, land, glasses, hearing aids and wheelchairs.]]
Mat 24:14
Mark 16:15-16
Mat 9:37-38

1Mark Galli and Ted Olsen, 131 Christians Everyone Should Know (Nashville: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 2000) 236-237.
2 Saints Who Worked Miracles (St. Paul, MN: Catholic Digest) 17.

G15. Saint George and the Dragon ( ? -303 A.D.) [knight with sword and shield, foot triumphantly on large dead dinosaur; outdoor scene with partially burnt landscape]
Job 41:20-21 Smoke pours from his nostrils as from a boiling pot over a fire of reeds. His breath sets coals ablaze, and flames dart from his mouth.
[ Although we don’t know if it is true, there is an old legend that Saint George killed a terrible dragon. As the legend goes, the people who lived nearby had to feed sheep to the dragon to keep it happy. When they ran out of sheep, they were said to have started feeding their children to the dragon. When the king’s daughter was offered to the dragon, Saint George was supposedly nearby, courageously rescued her and killed the dragon. He gave God the glory for the victory and because of that, the princess and all the people in the realm were baptized as Christians. Saint George was martyred for his faith in 303.
We know that sometimes legends are based on fact, but become distorted [changed] over the centuries. There are numerous legends about dragon sightings from many different countries. If the legends are based on fact, the stories may well be references to dinosaurs that lived centuries ago.
Scientists have even found evidence of the possibility that there may have been fire-breathing "dragons." A dinosaur called Parasaurolophus had special hollow chambers in his head that could have held different kinds of chemicals that could combine and create fire. The whole special-chambers and mixing-chemicals idea may seem hard to believe, but it is not unheard of. In fact, the Lord created a beetle with similar properties. When this "bombardier beetle" is attacked, it mixes its chemicals together, squirts them out at up to 212 degrees and even produces puffs of smoke!1]
Job 41:18-19
Job 41:8-9
Job 41:25

1Duane T. Gish, Dinosaurs by Design (Colorado Springs, CO: Master Books, 1992) 80-83.

G16. Giraffe [giraffe costume, holding reins on tongue and maybe looking down cross-eyed at the reins]
James 1:26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.
[ An adult giraffe has a huge tongue--around 18 to 20 inches long! This giraffe boy holding the reins on his tongue can remind us in a silly way not to "wag our tongue." That means don’t gossip or use your tongue for other unkind purposes. The Bible says we should keep a "tight rein" on our tongue. In other words, we should watch what we say.
It also says we should not slander others. Slander is making false statements that hurt someone’s reputation. You probably know that we use reins on a horse to steer it and to make it stop. Keeping the reins tight helps you stay in control of the horse. Think about that. If we had little invisible reins on our tongue, we could use them to help control what we say. If we were tempted to say something unkind about others, we could "rein in" (stop) our tongue before it was too late. In fact, the Bible tells us that a wise man won’t put others down. Instead, the wise man will "hold his tongue" or "keep his peace" (both phrases mean to be silent) (Prov 11:12).
Anyway, back at the ranch, we could also use those little invisible reins to steer our tongue (and our bodies) away from groups who are making mean comments about others. You don’t want to be unkind like that crowd (Prov 10:18).
However, when we feel like building others up, then we could give our tongue a little more "free rein" (let our tongue loose a little). Even then, when you say kind things about others, make sure it is sincere and not just empty flattery. God gave us control over what we say. In other words, He put the reins of our tongues in our hands. Speech is a gift. If you can speak, use that wonderful tongue God gave you to accomplish good, not evil (James 3:9-10). Build others up, preach the word, praise God and give thanks!]
[Note: Want to know an interesting fact about giraffes? God created the giraffe in such a way that, even though the giraffe has the highest blood pressures of all animals, it can bend down and take a drink of water and quickly raise its head without passing out. You see, the Lord created special valves in the giraffe’s neck to keep the blood supply to its head from being too strong or too weak in spite of the effects of gravity on those LONG blood vessels in its neck.1]
Prov 10:19
Titus 3:2 (KJV) . . . speak evil of no man . . .
Eccl 5:6
Lev 19:16

1 Dennis R. Petersen, Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation (South Lake Tahoe, CA: Creation Resource Foundation) 103.

G17. Johann Gutenberg (1400?-1468) [in printer’s apron with printing press and stack of Bibles on table]
Ps 119:144 Your statutes are forever right; give me understanding that I may live.
[ German printer Johann Gutenberg is credited with inventing the moveable-type printing press. He believed strongly that the treasure of God’s word should be printed quickly by machines instead of copied slowly hand. He felt that making God's truth available to the people on a large scale, many souls would be won. The Gutenberg Bibles were printed around 1455. The moveable-type printing press played a major part in the Protestant Reformation.1
God started having His people record His word thousands of years ago. One of Satan’s favorite tricks is to try to convince people that since the Bible is so old, it is also "old-fashioned." The devil wants people to think that the rules don’t apply in this modern age and that sin is fun. Unfortunately, when a person falls for those lies and then sins, it will sooner or later cause them pain.
Good earthly parents have always tried to warn their children not to touch hot stoves so they won’t get burned. They have their children’s best interests in mind. Similarly, our Father in heaven knew that sin would always "burn" His children, no matter what century they were born. So, in our best interests, God gave us rules and instructions: to increase our joy, to teach us how to be better people, to help protect us from harm, to warn us that sinning yields bitter, painful results and to show us the way to heaven (Deu 10:13, 2 Tim 3:16-17).
Sin, like hot stoves that burned little fingers centuries ago, is still burning God’s children today. The Bible will never be out of date. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.]
Ps 119:152
Is 40:8
Ps 119:160

1 William J. Federer, America’s God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations (Coppell, TX: FAME Publishing, Inc., 1996) 270.

G18. George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) [maybe put choirboys behind Handel, him extending hand to choir for them to be recognized]
Rev 19:1 . . . I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God."
[ George Frideric Handel was a great composer and a devout Christian. Although born in Germany, he spent most of his adult life in England. He wrote numerous musical works including church music, instrumentals, operas and Bible-based oratorios.
His most famous piece is the "Hallelujah Chorus" from The Messiah (hallelujah is a term of praise to God). His friend, Charles Jennens, had written the words for an opera about the life of Christ and salvation through Him. Jennens asked Handel to write the music. Handel agreed and estimated it would take him about one year to complete the task.
Shortly afterward, some Dublin charities asked Handel to write a piece for a benefit performance to help get people out of debtor’s prison. Handel combined the two requests and wrote the music for The Messiah in 24 days--260 pages of music--an incredible feat for such a short amount of time. That benefit performance made enough money to release 142 men from prison!1
It is interesting to note that The Messiah includes the words, "I know that my Redeemer liveth" from Job 19:25. The word redeem means to pay a ransom for/buy back and deliver from prison, bondage or sin and to release into freedom.2 In the new covenant, Jesus is the Redeemer of believers. He paid for our sins with His death on the cross. He rescues believers from death and delivers us to the freedom of eternal life
Just imagine those released prisoners shouting, "Hallelujah!" They would be praising God for His redeeming deliverance from debtor’s prison through Handel’s work. Handel’s "Hallelujah Chorus" can also remind today's believers to praise the Lord, our Redeemer, and give Him the glory!]
Rev 19:6
Job 19:25
Ps 69:30
Ps 115:1

1 Mark Galli and Ted Olsen, 131 Christians Everyone Should Know (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000) 112-114.
2 Merrill C. Tenney, et al., The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1963, 1964, 1967) 708.

G19. Hippocrates (460?-377? B.C.) [Greek garb, research doctor’s office of the time; sign on wall, "Do No Harm"]
Rom 13:10 Love does no harm to its neighbor . . .
[ Hippocrates, a Greek doctor of ancient times, is considered the father of medicine. He was influential in leading the practice of medicine into focusing on logical causes for disease, rather than superstitious causes for disease. His name is also associated with the Hippocratic Oath, a form of which new doctors have been taking for some 2000 years (such as in medical school graduation procedures). The oath encourages doctors to have high moral standards in their work and to never harm their patients. One of the key factors in the oath is that good doctors recognize that it is never acceptable to kill any human being: neither before or after they are born, and no matter how old, how young or how sick.1
Originally, Greek doctors swore by false gods when taking this oath. Christians know that this part of the old oath is unacceptable, as God tells us we are to have no other gods but Him (Ex 20:3). Nowadays, doctors swear by whatever they hold most sacred. This helps Christian doctors to follow Deuteronomy 6:13 which says to, "Fear the LORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name."
Part of the Hippocratic Oath is repeated here: " . . . The regimen I adopt shall be for the benefit of my patients according to my ability and judgment, and not for their hurt or for any wrong. I will give no deadly drug to any, though it be asked of me, nor will I counsel such, and especially I will not aid a woman to procure abortion. Whatsoever house I enter, there will I go for the benefit of the sick, refraining from all wrongdoing or corruption . . . "]
Jer 22:3
Ex 23:7
Ex 20:13
Prov 6:16-19 .

1 "Hippocrates," Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia, 1998 ed.

G20. Horse [2-person horse costume. If not too much detail, do this: one path at bottom of page, splitting into fork; front end of horse standing on narrow right side of open-gated fork in the road (so that head is choosing the "right" way trail), labeled "Happy Trails," this way to "Blessings Bridge" and "Paradise Hills." Back end of horse standing on broad, open-gated left side of fork, labeled "Boo-Hoo Trails," this way to "Wrong-Way City and Dead-End Gulch." ]
Deu 28:13 The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.
[ Have you ever seen a horse costume with two people in it? One person plays the back end/back legs, the other plays the head and front legs. It’s more fun to play the front end! For one thing, you can see where you are going. You can also stand up straight--that’s a lot easier than walking stooped over in back! The front is prettier, too. Have you ever seen a stick horse with only the back end of the horse on it? Probably not! Everybody wants the front end on their hobby horses, not the back!
Well, you can look at life kind of like that, too. God wants to encourage us to stand up straight and do things right. Not only will that please Him, He knows that it will make our life a lot better. So if we obey God, He wants to bless us. Think of it as an incentive. He wants to give us the good part. He wants to make us "the head, not the tail" and put us at "the top, never at the bottom."
On the other hand, what if we choose to gallop off in the wrong direction (disobey)? Uh-oh. We don’t get the good part.
Do you want to be the head, not the tail? Do you want to be able to see where you are going (heaven!)? Do you want to stand up straight and keep on the happier trails of life? Then choose the right way on the narrow path (Mat 7:13-14) and giddy-up on over to God!]
Deu 7:12
Deu 28:15
Deu 5:29

G21. Ingrate [boy with grate around mid-section wearing t-shirt that says "Gimme" 5-6 times down the front in big letters, both arms to the front, one hand flat palm up, fingers together, other hand beckoning with all fingers in the "gimme" sign]
Deu 32:6 Is this the way you repay the LORD, O foolish and unwise people? . . .
[ What if you gave a present to someone and....they didn’t thank you? What if you held a door open for someone.....and they didn’t thank you? What if you gave part of your lunch to someone, shared your allowance with someone or cleaned up somebody’s mess for them.....and they didn’t thank you?
People like that are ingrates (ungrateful people)--not quite the same thing as walking around inside of a barbecue grate, but you get the idea! Ingrates are always wanting things ("Gimme this," "Gimme that"), but often don’t even bother to say "thank you."
When people do nice things for others and they are ignored, it makes them feel bad. Often it even makes them feel used (like the other person is hanging around them just to get things). Sometimes it even makes them feel like not helping the ingrate anymore.
It’s much nicer to be appreciated. This costume can help remind us to always thank our family, friends--and especially the Lord--for all the good things they do for us. Practice being grateful!]
Ps 107:1
Ps 103:2
Luke 17:15-18

G22. Saint Joan of Arc (1412-1431)
2 Sam 22:36 You give me your shield of victory; you stoop down to make me great.
[ From 1337 to 1453, France was involved in the Hundred Years' War with England. During that time, Joan of Arc, a teenaged French peasant girl, felt led by God to drive out the enemy English and see to it that the dauphin (the heir to the throne of France), was crowned. After meeting the dauphin, the devout Joan was allowed to help the army fight the English forces occupying part of France. Joan helped lead the troops in a number of successful battles. At one point, she took an arrow in the shoulder. Having quickly resumed fighting, she inspired many others to keep fighting as well. Finally, Reims, the traditional coronation site, was recaptured and the dauphin was crowned.
The next year, Joan was caught, imprisoned by the English and tried in a church court. Accusing her of 70 religious crimes, the English had her executed. Just before she died, Joan knelt and prayed for her enemies. Her last word was "Jesus." Later investigations found Joan innocent. She is considered a model of heroism and devotion to God. Joan was sainted by the Pope in 1920.]
Ps 18:39
Ps 18:32

1 Mark Galli and Ted Olsen, 131 Christians Everyone Should Know (Nashville: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 2000) 214-216.

G23. Knitter [1800’s grandma-type in old-style rocker, knitting pink, white and blue afghan] Ps 139:13-14 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made . . .
[ People who are skilled at knitting can make beautiful things. Our little knitter can remind us of how God makes beautiful things, too.
Our heavenly Father puts a lot of time, care and love into our lives even before we are born. He forms us inside of our mothers and watches over us for the whole nine months while we grow there. Even while we are still inside our mothers, we can suck our thumbs, hiccup, feel pain, cry, see light and hear sound. He designed mothers so that we would be warm and well-cushioned inside of them. He also designed us to get our nourishment from what our mothers eat or drink, which is why it is so important for expectant mothers to have a healthy diet. He gives us each our own unique set of fingerprints, chooses our hair and eye color, decides whether we will have freckles (and even how many), you name it! In fact, God even determines the exact time and place for us to be born!
Just imagine! Our Almighty God who designed and made the ENTIRE UNIVERSE......also designed and made EACH ONE OF US��ONE BY ONE! Wow! Do you feel loved?]
Is 44:24
Acts 17:26

G24. Jenny Lind (1820-1887)
Ps 9:2 I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
[ Jenny Lind was popularly known as "The Swedish Nightingale." She had a very beautiful voice and sang professionally even as a teenager. She enjoyed singing religious music called oratorio (Is 65:14, Ps 100:2). She believed her voice was a God-given tool to help her connect with the public.
Performing in many operas and recitals, she thrilled audiences both in Europe and America. Wanting to raise money to help others, she came to America for a tour of over 90 concerts in the early 1850’s. In each of those concerts she included, "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth," a song based on Job 19:25. She used much of the profits from her concerts to help the poor and to give to charitable institutions.
Lind can remind us of a story Jesus told in Matthew 25. A man gave his servants some talents (money) to take care of while he went on a long trip. The first two invested the money and earned interest on it. The last one earned no interest as he had buried the money. The master was pleased with the first two "faithful" servants and rewarded them, but he was displeased with the "wicked, lazy" servant. Some believe this story is meant to teach us not to bury our skill-type "talents," but to use whatever abilities God gave us to serve Him. Lind is a great example of a "faithful servant" who used her talents to praise God, spread joy and help those in need. Her heavenly Master must be very pleased with her!1]
Mat 25:15
Col 3:16

1 Daniel G. Reid, et al., eds., Concise Dictionary of Christianity in America (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1995) 194.

G25. Loch Ness Monster [child in dinosaur costume, limbs like flippers, facing front, puffing chest out, front flippers akimbo, looking like "a creature without fear;" maybe holding Scottish flag white X on med blue]
Ps 104:26 There the ships go to and fro, and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.
[ Is the Loch Ness Monster in Scotland real? Although many people claim to have seen the "monster," scientists don’t know for sure yet whether it truly exists. The Loch Ness [lake] is over 900 feet deep and is filled with fine particles of peat that make clear photography difficult. Some scientists believe that the creatures do exist and that they may travel between the Loch Ness and the North Sea through waterways that connect the two. Interestingly, sonar readings taken in the Loch Ness in the 1970’s indicated some very large objects were in the water. Between the descriptions and some fuzzy photos, it would appear that if the Loch Ness Monster is real, she is an Elasmosaurus.
In 1977, a Japanese fishing boat pulled up a huge dead creature from a depth of about 900 feet. It was 32 feet long and weighed over 4,000 pounds. The creature, which looked like it might be a Plesiosaur, was estimated to have been dead for perhaps only a month. Other sightings of large sea creatures seem to also fit the Plesiosaur, as well as a giant marine lizard called a Mosasaurus.
The Bible describes the leviathan at length in Job Chapter 41. The behemoth is described in Chapter 40. Both clearly seem to describe large dinosaurs. The leviathan may even be the actual creature that fire-breathing dragon legends are based on. It is believed that Job lived about 2,000 B.C. Even if we don’t know for sure if dinosaurs live now, we do know they lived during Job’s time and, therefore, existed at the same time as man, contrary to what evolutionary scientists believe.
Over 70% of our earth is covered with water and the average ocean depth is over two miles. That leaves plenty of room for many dinosaurs to live undiscovered in the vast, unexplored waters of our big blue world (Ps 104:25)!]
Job 41:1
Job 41:31-33
Job 41:18-21

1Duane T. Gish, Dinosaurs by Design (Colorado Springs, CO: Master Books, 1992) 17, 20-21, 86-87.

G26. Martin Luther (1483-1546) [hammer in hand, church door behind him with list nailed on it, find picture of door--it has a very distinct design]
Gal 2:16 . . . a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ . . .
[ Martin Luther was a German clergyman who translated the Bible into German. He also wrote catechisms, 15 tracts and the hymn, A Mighty Fortress is Our God. However, he is most well-known for beginning the Protestant Reformation in Germany.1
In 1517, uncomfortable with the practices and beliefs of the Catholic Church, he published his Ninety-Five Theses. He nailed this paper, which explained his beliefs, on the door of a church. He felt that the church was wrong in, among other things, teaching people that they could earn their way to heaven through their own efforts by following God’s laws and by doing good. He believed that following God’s rules as a way of life, should not be confused with accepting God’s free gift of grace through Jesus as the way to heaven (Titus 3:4-7).
He pointed out that the Bible teaches our righteousness comes from God through faith (Rom 1:17). He taught that if we sincerely accept Jesus as our Savior, we can know now that we are guaranteed a place in heaven. In other words, we don’t have to wait until we die to see if our good deeds have outweighed our bad ones, supposedly making us righteous enough to earn a spot in heaven. You see, Jesus earned that righteousness and that spot in heaven for believers--believers who would accept Jesus as their Lord and His free gift of salvation. So we are saved by grace through our faith in Jesus, not by doing good deeds.
So why bother to be good and to do good deeds? On this earth, obedience helps keep us safer and brings us more happiness. Good deeds also spread joy, help people see the love of Jesus through believers and help make the world a better place. We want to serve God and actively express our faith, as faith without works is dead (James 2:26). Also, telling others about the Bible and salvation through Jesus, helps them learn how to get to heaven (Rom 10:17). Finally, both obedience and good deeds help increase our heavenly rewards--the Bible says that the Lord will "reward each person according to what he has done" (Mat 16:27).
Is some of that a little hard to understand? Let’s break it down very simply. If you want to go to heaven, accept Jesus as your Savior. If you want more rewards in heaven, be good, serve God and do good deeds.]
Eph 2:8-9
Rom 10:9-10

1 Mark Galli and Ted Olsen, 131 Christians Everyone Should Know (Nashville: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 2000) 33-36.

G27. Ferdinand Magellan (1480?-1521)
Ps 103:12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
[ Born into a noble Portuguese family, Ferdinand Magellan was an explorer, a navigator and a Christian. With the support of the Spanish king, Magellan set sail with five ships in 1519 looking for a westward trade route. Fighting bad weather, hunger, disease and mutiny, he lost men and ships on the long journey. Along the way, Magellan converted a number of the people he met to Christianity, including a king. His voyage confirmed the fact that the world was round and showed that the world’s oceans were connected. Magellan is considered the first person to have traveled around the world in a ship. (Although he died in the Philippines before he actually finished this westward trip, he had gone further than that on a previous east-bound trip.)
Do you like maps? Here are a couple of tidbits for you. When he first saw the Pacific Ocean, Magellan chose to name it with a word meaning what it looked like: peaceful. Also, the Strait of Magellan at the southern edge of South America is named after him.
Can you picture yourself as a world explorer? If so, it will help you learn a good lesson from God’s word. First, picture yourself in the northern hemisphere (half) of the world, heading south. Once you reach the equator, you will leave the northern hemisphere and immediately run into the southern hemisphere. Now picture yourself heading east. Do you realize that if you head east, you will never "run into" the west? When we invite Jesus into our hearts, and confess our sins, He forgives our sins and puts them far away from us. In fact, He puts them "as far as the east is from the west." That is so far away from us that we will never "run into" (be held guilty) for those sins again! Hooray!1]
1 John 1:9
Is 43:25
Ps 103:8-12

1 "Magellan, Ferdinand," Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1998 ed.

G28. Groucho Marx [typical Groucho costume on the set of his TV show with duck]
Ps 14:1 . . . The fool says in his heart, "There is no God" . . .
[ Groucho Marx was a famous comedian who used to host a show called "You Bet Your Life." This show title is an effective way to remind us of what atheists (people who don’t believe in God) are doing when they decide that they don’t think God exists. They are betting their life on it--their eternal life!
Some people even joke about their decision and say things like, "I don’t want to go to heaven. I want to go to hell where all my friends are." How sad! Don’t they realize that the last thing Satan would let them do in hell is visit their friends--or any other fun thing? Satan would much rather torment them with their worst enemies! Satan makes hell as painful and terrifying as possible. Misery loves company. Satan is miserable since losing his place in heaven. He wants everybody else to suffer, too!
The Lord is the exact opposite. The Lord wants His children to be blissfully happy forever! He gave His beloved Son for us as the only door to heaven and everlasting joy and laughter and fun.
In fact, speaking of fun, did you know there are a number of really hilarious Christian comedians in America*? We’ll see them in heaven! Lots of people will be cracking funny jokes there! Not mean jokes. Not dirty jokes. Just good, clean fun jokes! Heaven will be an extremely happy place! You can bet your eternal life on it!]
[*Note: For more information on some of these Christian comedians, go to www.bananascomedy.com.]
Mark 16:16 (KJV) He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
John 8:24
1 John 5:10-12

G29. Merrymakers [Old King Cole holding a large platter with a turkey on it; other kids with him, all smiling big smiles, harlequin, clown, Laurel & Hardy; each holding serving platter of food]
Prov 15:15 (KJV) . . . he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.
[ "Old King Cole was a merry old soul, and a merry old soul was he . . . " Remember that nursery rhyme? Old King Cole and his friends are here to remind us to have a merry heart. Parents love to hear their children laughing happily. They love to see their children playing joyfully with their friends. God is our heavenly Father and He loves to hear His children laugh, too!
Of course, we aren’t talking about mean laughter, like when bullies make fun of others. That kind of laughter not only hurts others and disappoints God, even the bullies don’t get any lasting joy from it (Job 20:5).
We are talking about just good-plain-fun-type laughter. God wants us to be joyful always. He wants us to enjoy happy fellowship with our Christian friends. We can even be silly sometimes, too! But remember, there is also a proper time and place for being silly, like not during class or worship services and not at dressy occasions. Also remember that you don’t have to be young to be silly. Grown-ups can be silly, too! So grab your friends, grab your parents, laugh, play, sing, dance and get silly!]
Prov 15:13
1 Thes 5:16

G30. The Monkey’s Nephew [use Cro-Magnon man or some other as guide for looks; in smoking jacket on recliner in home with ape-like family portraits on the wall]
Rom 1:20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
[ When they are surprised, some people jokingly say, "Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle!" Well, guess what? People who teach evolution believe mankind evolved from ape-like creatures. That is sort of like calling man "the monkey’s nephew"!
Charles Darwin was an English evolutionist who wrote a book published in 1859, called On The Origin Of Species. In it he explained the theory* of evolution, meaning that, over a long period of time, complex life developed from simple forms into more advanced forms. (*Scientific beliefs are normally just considered theories until they can be proven as fact by observation, demonstration and repetition.)1
On the other hand, creation scientists believe that God created life in fully developed forms, even patterning mankind after himself (Gen 1:27). In fact, all the complexity around us has always clearly shown it was designed by an intelligent Creator (1 Cor 14:33, Ps 104:24). Sadly, in spite of all the inventions made in the past century that help us observe the complexity of God's creation far better than we even could before, people are still taught Darwin's antique, unproven and illogical theories as if they were fact!
Why is this evolution stuff such a big deal? The devil has always tried to make God’s word look false. Satan knows that if you don’t believe the creation story in Genesis--the first book of the Bible--then it is hard to believe in the rest of the Bible and in Jesus. So, why don't you just park your Bible on that dusty shelf back there with all the other fairy tale books?2
Bullseye! The devil scores another direct hit. Out go the 10 Commandments. Out goes Christ's substitutionary death on the cross to atone for the sins of all believers. Out goes Heaven. Out goes Hell. And guess what else? The icing on the cake. Out goes Satan, too. Now, if none of this is real, who needs salvation??? Man is free to do as he pleases. He can make up and "clarify" his own rules (and then break them any time the "situation" seems appropriate to him). He is responsible to no one but himself. And not only that, he is free to join the false New Age religion which will tell him he has a "divine nature" and he will "evolve into godhood." Funny how that brings us right back to Genesis. In it we find Satan's first big lie: . . . ye shall be as gods . . . (Gen 3:4-5, KJV).
Sinners who don’t believe in and accept Jesus, don’t go to heaven........and the devil wins. Don’t let the devil win (2 Tim 2:23-26). Use that complex brain God designed for you! Remember, accurate science always supports the Bible!3]
2 Cor 4:4

An Extra Lesson: Some Specific Faults in Evolutionary Theory
Although neither evolution nor creation can be scientifically proven, creation scientists can show convincing evidence that evolutionary theory is not logical. Below are just a few of the many examples:

1. Intentional Design is Very Evident: There is no way the extremely complex arrangement of the cells necessary for life (or for males and females to appear simultaneously, for that matter), could have occurred by chance or accident. Scientists have been able to observe and photograph extremely small creatures and extremely small building blocks of our world. In fact, they have found that a single cell is more complicated than a large city! An adult human may have as many as 60 trillion cells in them--in other words, they’re more complicated than 60 trillion cities! Even a now former atheist, well-known scientist Sir Fred Hoyle, finally realized how complex the creation is. He said that the chances of life evolving without intelligent design were about the same as the ability of a tornado passing through a junkyard to produce a 747 airplane.4, 5

2. Entropy Produces Disorder, Not Order: The scientific principle of entropy (also known as the second law of thermodynamics) shows that matter left to itself tends to become less complex, not more complex as evolutionists suggest. In other words, matter tends to age, decay and get worn down. The Bible also mentions in Romans 8:21 how someday "the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God."6

3. The Species Existed Simultaneously (Not Increasing Complexity Over Time): Evolutionists believe simple forms evolved into more complex forms over many millions of years. They use a geologic chart that divides up types of fossils by layers in the earth’s surface with these simple forms in the deepest layers to the more complex forms in the highest levels. However, they apparently do not consider that Noah’s flood laid down many layers of sediment, quickly burying mostly sea creatures at lower levels. The more mobile land creatures (which already existed at higher levels than the sea creatures) could move to even higher ground and were in many (but far from all) cases able to delay their burial. Their fossils tend to be found at higher stratigraphic layers. Further, because many complex forms have been found at lower layers right along with the simple forms, it shows that the more complex forms did not evolve from the less complex ones, but instead existed at the same time. Lastly, the horse is just one example that disproves the "increasing complexity" theory. Evolutionists teach that horses have evolved, yet not only have fossils of the supposed different stages of development been found buried together, the fossils do not show consistently improving complexity.7, 8, 9
[Note: See also Job and the Dinosaur, Quetzalcoatlus, St. George and the Dragon and Loch Ness Monster costume pages for information on man and dinosaurs co-existing rather than all dinosaurs dying out before man supposedly "evolved."]

4. Natural Selection Shows That a Diverse Gene Pool Already Existed: Evolutionists claim that natural selection creates new genetic information, causing one type of creature to evolve into another. However, natural selection is actually just survival of the fittest creatures in a particular environment. It shows that God programmed so much genetic diversity into the original gene pool of His creatures, that many have been able to survive in a number of different environments. For example, evolutionists claim that England's light-colored peppered moths evolved into dark-colored ones. In reality, the moth population already included both light-colored and (rare) dark-colored moths in the first place. The industrial revolution produced so much factory soot that the light moths no longer blended in with the trees. This made it easier for birds to spot and eat the light ones, while the hidden, dark-moth population did much better.10, 11

5. Mutations Are Almost 100% Harmful: Evolutionists believe that mutations played a large part in producing higher life forms, but mutations are not only rare, they are almost 100% harmful!12

6. No Transitional Forms Have Ever Been Found: A transitional form of life would be an animal that was in the process of evolving from one species to another. Knowing that such in-between forms were a key part of his theory, Darwin himself seemed puzzled as to why there were not "innumerable" fossils of transitional forms. Billions of fossils have been found since Darwin’s day and there are still no true transitional forms. Instead, all scientists can find in the fossil record is abrupt appearance of distinct, separate animal species--just as found in the Genesis account of creation.13, 14, 15
[Note: See the Cave Dwellers costume section for information on supposed ape-man fossils.]

7. The Earth is Young: Last, but far from least, evolutionary theory requires millions of years for all this supposed evolution to have taken place. Yet the overwhelming evidence points to a young earth of only about 6,000 years.16
[Note: See the Young Earth costume section for more information on the age of the earth.]

[Opportunities: To find information about visiting the 70,000-square- foot Creation Museum in Petersburg, KY, that "brings the pages of the Bible to life," or to take a virtual tour of the museum, see http://creationmuseum.org/ . For the Creation and Earth History Museum in Santee, CA, see http://lifeandlightfoundation.org/museum.html . For some interesting quotes about the shortcomings of evolutionary theory, see http://www.2christ.org/quotes/ ]

1 Dennis R. Petersen, Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation (South Lake Tahoe, CA: Creation Resource Foundation) 64-66.
2 Petersen 15-17.
3 Henry M. Morris with Henry M. Morris III, Many Infallible Proofs: Practical and Useful Evidences for the Christian Faith (Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 1996) 23.
4 Petersen 78-83.
5 Duane T. Gish, The Amazing Story of Creation from Science and the Bible (El Cajon, CA: Institute for Creation Research, 1990) 34-35.
6 Petersen 75-77.
7 Petersen 50.
8 Henry M. Morris, Creation and the Modern Christian (El Cajon, CA: Master Book Publishers, 1985) 248-251.
9 Petersen 91.
10 Petersen 85.
11 Georgia Purdom, "Is Natural Selection the Same Thing as Evolution?" The New Answers Book, Answers in Genesis 3 Jan. 2008, 4 Nov. 2010 <http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/nab/is-natural-selection-evolution>.
12 Petersen 84.
13 Petersen 88-91.
14 Richards88-89.
15 Henry M. Morris and Gary E. Parker, What is Creation Science? (El Cajon, CA: Master Books, 1982) 3.
16 Petersen 34.

G31. Mother Teresa (1910-1997)
Mat 25:40 "The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’"
[ Mother Teresa felt the call of God when she was just a teenager. Born in what is now called Macedonia, she became a Roman Catholic nun. She was sent to India and taught school there for 17 years. However, she felt God was calling her to serve what she called "the poorest of the poor" (Deu 15:7-8, 10-11).
After studying for four months in basic medical matters, she went out onto the streets of Calcutta in India to help the sick and dying poor. Well-known and well-loved for her kindness, she had great compassion on those in need. She was also known for her humble, serving nature, pointing out her own unworthiness and lack of importance. She always treated everyone with respect while accomplishing her duties.
In 1950, she founded the Order of the Missionaries of Charity, which was dedicated to helping people of all ages who were suffering. With thousands of sisters, this organization now operates orphanages, homes for the poor and other missions in countries around the world.
Mother Teresa received many awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. Even so, she continually followed the Bible principle of giving all the glory to God instead of taking credit for it herself (Ps 115:1). Mother Teresa is a wonderful reminder of the Bible verse that whatever we do for "the least of these," we also do for the Lord!1]
Prov 14:31
Prov 19:17
Luke 9:48

1 Helen Kooiman Hosier, 100 Christian Women Who Changed the Twentieth Century (Grand Rapids, MI: Fleming H. Revell, 2000) 284-289.

G32. Mr. and Mrs. Ugly [make sure both have some seriously ugly warts on various places on their bodies (head, nose, finger, chin, etc)]
Rom 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
[ Have you ever heard someone described as having "a face so ugly only a mother could love it"? Well, a good parent does love their child, even if the child is very ugly.
That can remind us of sin. We have all sinned and sin is very ugly, especially to God. Yet God is our heavenly Father. Believers are His children. He knows all about our ugliest sins, yet He still loves us and still calls us to come back to Him. You might even say He loves us "warts and all."
He loves us so much that He created us with the ability to choose. He wants us to choose right over wrong, and He wants us to choose to love Him. But He will not force us to do either. When we sin, He doesn’t toss us out the window. He patiently waits for us to repent (turn away from our sins).
In fact, He loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins. Accepting Jesus is our way to get right with God. You see, Jesus didn’t come to accuse us, but to justify us (John 3:16-17). That means when believers repent, Jesus cleans away all our ugly sins and takes the punishment for us. Did you know that Jesus willingly laid down His life for us (John 10:17-18)? It would be kind of like if you got in trouble and your big brother offered to take your spanking for you--only on a much bigger and much more painful scale.
So, if you ever do something really ugly, just remember......God still loves you and He still wants you back. Got warts? Get Jesus!]
2 Pet 3:9
Ezek 18:32

G33. Mr. Itchy Ears [scruffy-looking, flea-bitten hound dog with fleas jumping off him and some on the floor around him, Bible on a stand that has cobwebs on it behind him; behind him on other side is a bookcase labeled Audio Books with a CD player on top; dog is scratching the ear closest to the CD player, and is surrounded by several audio books on floor; depending on how many books can use without looking too busy, books on floor and in bookshelf are named things like: Situational Ethics, Moral Relativism, Values Clarification, Spirit Guides, Inner Wisdom, Witchcraft, The Occult, It’s in the Stars, Rationalize Sin Away, Good Greed, If It Feels Good Do It, Me First, No Rules, Anything Goes, Carpe Diem, Yoga, Get Centered, Hypnosis, Meditation, Mother Earth, Eastern Religions, The New Age, Evolution, Humanism, Marxism, Communism, Socialism]
2 Tim 4:3-4 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
[ Not so long ago, most people in America believed that there was such a thing as absolute truth and that it was found in the Bible. Unfortunately, as we get closer to the Lord’s Second Coming, the number of deceived people teaching false beliefs has increased, just as the Bible said it would (1 Tim 4:1-2). That can make it harder, especially for young people, to know what is true and what is false.
Some people will try to teach you wrong beliefs such as: moral relativism (that there is no such thing as absolute truth), situational ethics (that rules change depending on the circumstances) or values clarification (that you should make up your own rules).
They may try to involve you in false religious practices or other dangerous activities such as: visualization, centering, hypnosis or eastern meditation exercises. They may encourage you to seek wisdom inside yourself instead of from the Bible (Prov 28:26), to embrace "the Christ within" (as if you were God) or to seek wisdom from spirit guides (which are actually demons in disguise). Some teach yoga, but many yoga positions and chants are forms of worship of demons. Many of these teachers may even sincerely believe they are helping you. Others know--and purposely try to hide the fact from you or your parents--that they are using practices associated with false religions and the occult (Gal 4:17)!
There are even ministers, religious writers and whole congregations that ignore the truth of God’s word. They teach, believe or desire to hear only "pleasant things," while avoiding, altering or denying the reality of sin and the need for repentance (Rom 1:18, Jer 23:16-17, Jude 1:4, Is 30:9-11, Jer 23:21-22, Is 30:15).
These things are not good for you (Heb 10:26-27). Don’t listen to them! Listen to God instead. Don’t let others make you stray from God’s perfect plan for you. God is omniscient (all-knowing) and knows what is best for us. He loves us! He gave us His unchanging Bible rules to protect us, to give us wisdom, to help us to live happier lives and to show us the one (and only) way to get to heaven--through believing in Jesus Christ.
Do you want to learn the difference between right and wrong, good and bad, true and false? Are you searching for godly wisdom? Are you seeking the only real and absolute truth? You don’t have far to look. You’ll find it in the Bible!]
[Note: Do you know someone who is involved in these bad beliefs and practices? Give them a Bible. Pray for them! As long as they are still alive, it’s not too late for them to turn away from these things and get right with the Lord. As Eccl 9:4 says, "Anyone who is among the living has hope--even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!"]
2 Pet 2:1
Col 2:4
Is 5:20

G34. Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) [show under apple tree with Bible, rubbing head looking at apple he is holding]
Is 42:9 "See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you."
[ Discovering the laws of universal gravitation, formulating the three laws of motion, developing advanced mathematical principles and inventing a reflecting telescope, Sir Isaac Newton was one of the world’s greatest scientists.1 However, few know that Newton also spent a great deal of time researching something else: Bible prophecy.
Newton's interest in Bible prophecy was well-founded. You see, Bible prophecy has always been fulfilled with an astounding rate of 100% accuracy! The remaining prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled give us a great wealth of information explaining what will happen in the end times. So, want a much better understanding of the hidden agendas going on in our world and what to expect in the coming days? Study the Bible!2]
Is 45:21
Is 46:10

An Extra Lesson: Bible Codes
Here is another interesting fact: Newton also thought the Bible might hold special coded information. Guess what? He was right!
In the late 1900's a group of Israeli researchers created a computer program to search for hidden codes in the Bible. They searched for key words, dates, etc., in the Hebrew text using a system of skipping letters at equal distances. For example, if you start with the letter "d" in "development" and skip every 4 letters, you get the word "dot." They found multitudes of names of famous people, events and dates from throughout history, including recent events (Dan 2:21-22, Mark 4:22)! Even the name of their search system, "equidistant letter sequence," is encoded in the Bible. They also searched other non-Hebrew texts, producing no significant groups of codes similar to what they found in the Bible.3
Initially skeptical about the codes, well-known author, researcher and Bible prophecy scholar, Grant Jeffrey, spent ten years evaluating them. He now believes the codes are genuine. He gives examples showing that the odds are overwhelmingly against these codes being produced by random chance. Jeffrey points out, however, that there are no instructions hidden in the codes. He also cautions that not only does God forbid fortune-telling, the codes cannot be used to accurately predict future events.4
So, since the Lord has already given us information on life, salvation, history, medicine, science and even prophecy right in the plain, surface text of the Bible (Deu 30:11), why have hidden codes? Jeffrey believes that the Lord purposely encoded this information into the Bible knowing that many skeptics would arise in the last days. These codes show the world--in yet one more way--that God truly is God, knows the future and created codes way beyond the ability of mere men or even supercomputers to devise (Prov 2:3-5).5
Dan 2:21-22
Mark 4:22
Deu 30:11
Prov 2:3-5

1 William J. Federer, America’s God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations (Coppell, TX: FAME Publishing, Inc., 1996) 473.
2 Hal Lindsey, The Late Great Planet Earth (Toronto: Bantam Books, 1970) 160-165.
3 Grant R. Jeffrey, The Mysterious Bible Codes (Nashville: Word Publishing, 1998) 5, 19-20, 26-27.
4 Jeffrey 1-4, 57-63, 159.
5 Jeffrey 2, 14, 166.

G34. Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) [show under apple tree with Bible, rubbing head looking at apple he is holding]
Deu 30:11 Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.
[ Sir Isaac Newton was one of the world’s greatest scientists. Although he developed advanced mathematical principles, invented a reflecting telescope and studied light, he is probably most well known for his theory of gravitation. However, few know that Newton had another avid interest which he spent a great deal of time researching: Bible prophecy!
Newton also thought the Bible might hold special coded messages. A team of mathematicians from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem would agree. In 1994, with the help of computers, they found what they believe are words hidden within the regular Bible text. They used a system of skipping letters at equal distances. For example, if you start with the letter "d" in "development" and skip every 4 letters, you get the word "dot." The mathematicians believe they discovered an amazing number of codes showing names of famous people, events and dates throughout history. Codes like that are difficult to write, but not too difficult for God. If these codes truly do exist, it shows us once again that God knows the future.
Some people dispute the authenticity of the Bible codes and are especially concerned that someone might try to predict the future with the codes. While the codes do appear to contain information about past events, the search system does not seem to lend itself well to accurately predicting future events. These people maintain that one should only rely on what the Lord clearly stated in the plain text of the Bible. Not only does the plain text give us invaluable, easy to understand information on life and salvation, its many prophecies are astounding!
Although people disagree on the codes, Newton's interest in Bible prophecy was well-founded. You see, the accuracy of Bible prophecy--clearly shown in the Bible's plain text--cannot be disputed. Bible prophecy has always been fulfilled with 100% accuracy! The remaining prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled give us a great wealth of information explaining what will happen in the end times. So, want a much better understanding of the hidden agendas going on in our world and what to expect in the coming days? Study the plain text of the Bible!]
Mark 4:22
Dan 2:21-22
Prov 2:3-5

G35. Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) [with lamp]
Ps 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
[ Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Italy, into a wealthy British family. She could have lived a luxurious life, but instead she felt God had called her to help others. Nightingale became an extremely hard-working nurse and hospital reformer. Often carrying a lamp from bed to bed, checking on injured soldiers she nursed during the Crimean War, the grateful soldiers dubbed her "The Lady With the Lamp." She is still known by this nickname today.
Hospitals were dirty and poorly cared for in those days. Working tirelessly, Nightingale greatly improved hospital conditions, the state of nursing and policies on hospital cleanliness. Even Queen Victoria accepted advice from her and carried out some of her suggestions. Nightingale believed that "Christ is the author of our profession." She founded a school for nurses and also wrote the first textbook for nurses. She was the first woman to receive the Order of Merit award from the king of England. Way to go, Florence!1]
2 Cor 4:6
Ps 27:1

1 Helen Kooiman Hosier, 100 Christian Women Who Changed the Twentieth Century (Grand Rapids, MI: Fleming H. Revell, 2000) 229-234.

G36. Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) [see pic Vol 13 p. 1066 in chemistry lab]
2 Cor 7:1 . . . let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit . . .
[ Louis Pasteur was a French chemist and microbiologist. Pasteur was one of the first European scientists to reject the theory of evolution and its ungodly explanation of life. Many scientists of his day believed in spontaneous generation (that life comes from non-life). Surprisingly, some evolutionary scientists still believe that. Way back in the 1800's, Pasteur demonstrated scientifically that life from non-life was not logical. Instead, he proposed the much more logical theory of biogenesis (that life comes from life).
At the time, other scientists and doctors also debated Pasteur's ideas on germs. Many people did not yet realize the importance of washing one's hands to avoid impurity (uncleanness) and help prevent the spread of germs. Many thought the idea of tiny little germs being able to kill much bigger living things was ridiculous. However, Pasteur knew better. His studies helped him develop the germ theory of disease, showing that germs can cause illness.
Pasteur believed that, "Science brings man nearer to God."* He was amazed at the complexity God put into even the tiniest creatures, allowing mankind to even use them to combat disease.
Having discovered this, Pasteur developed vaccines to help people and animals avoid getting certain diseases or to help cure them. Vaccines made from weakened microorganisms can help one's body: create antibodies, develop immunity and fight off the disease. Pasteur developed vaccines for anthrax and chicken cholera in 1881 and for rabies in 1885.**
He also developed a process still being used today called pasteurization. This is a method of heating liquids such as milk to kill harmful bacteria in it before it is cooled, packaged and sold.
You could say that pasteurizing milk is a way to purify milk (to make it pure). When we sincerely accept Jesus, He purifies us from the fatal disease of sin. Then the Holy Spirit begins to transform us into better people, strengthens us and helps us learn to avoid sin. So by accepting Jesus and coming closer to God, the Lord not only purifies us, He gives us more strength to help us remain pure.1, 2
[Notes:
*Many former evolutionary scientists who, after continued scientific study became creation scientists instead, would obviously agree!
**Doctors have since learned that not all vaccines are completely safe, but many of them have been very useful in combating disease. Information about vaccines is easy to find on the Internet.]]
James 4:8
1 John 1:9

1 William J. Federer, America’s God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations (Coppell, TX: FAME Publishing, Inc., 1996) 493-494.
2 Randy Bird and Garland E. Allen, "Pasteur, Louis," Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia, 1998 ed.

G37. The Patient Patient-[cast on leg, arm in full cast, crutch, bandaged head, black eye, hospital robe, hospital slipper, IV tube and bag stand]
Rom 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
[ A patient is a person getting medical care. Being patient means waiting or even suffering without complaining. So a "patient patient" could be a hurting person who is waiting patiently.
Sometimes life kind of beats you up. Even if it doesn’t break your bones, it can break your heart. It may even be through no fault of your own. Sometimes when those painful times come, you just want to cry. And that’s okay. Everybody cries--boys, girls, men and women. In fact, even Jesus cried after one of his friends died (John 11:35). In ancient times people sometimes collected tears in little bottles. King David asked the Lord to put his tears in a bottle, too. Then he just kind of hung in there, prayed and trusted the Lord.
That’s a good example to follow. When times get tough, you might try to be still and wait patiently for the Lord. Study His word, pray and ask Him to comfort you (Mat 5:4). It may take some time for your situation to improve or it may improve right away, but the Lord can always work things together for good (Rom 8:28, Prov 16:4). You see, He is always working in the background, all day and all night. He never sleeps. You will laugh again. Have faith.
Tears also remind us of another of the many great things to look forward to about heaven--no tears! The Apostle Paul was apparently allowed to see heaven before he left this earth (2 Cor 12:2). It was so wonderful that he said our present sufferings weren’t worth comparing to heaven (Rom 8:18). Paul had suffered a great deal, so he was in a doubly good position to be able to make such a claim (see 2 Cor Chap. 6).
Whether or not the Lord keeps our tears in a bottle, he does remember every tear we cry--and He will eventually wipe them all away forever (Rev 21:4)!]
Ps 37:7
Ps 56:8 (KJV) . . . put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
Luke 6:21

G38. Saint Patrick (c. 387-?) [holding 3-leaf clover]
1 John 5:7 (KJV) For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
[ Saint Patrick was born in Scotland. He was captured by pirates when he was 16 and sold as a slave to a chief in Ireland. He eventually became a priest in Rome, then served God in England. Later the Pope made him a bishop and sent him to Ireland as a missionary.
It is said that Saint Patrick used the three-leaf clover to demonstrate the Holy Trinity. Holding the shamrock he explained, "Even as there are three leaves on this one stem, so there are three persons in one God." Saint Patrick used that simple way to explain that the Holy Trinity is the united Godhead of three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.1
There is another way that may help to explain how the Holy Trinity can be three persons in one God. Think about how many different "identities" humans have. For instance, a man is somebody’s son. He may also be a father, a husband, a brother, a building inspector, a college graduate, a voter, a Sunday school teacher, an artist and many more things. If it is so easy for humans to be several things at once, is it so hard to believe that our almighty God can be three persons at once? It makes more sense now, doesn’t it?
Saint Patrick is said to have converted over 100,000 people, built hundreds of churches, helped end slavery, cured people and even raised people from the dead.2 The shamrock is now regarded as the national emblem of Ireland.
[Note: Jesus is sometimes referred to as "the Word" as in 1 John 5:7 and John 1:1, 14.] ]
2 Cor 13:14
Luke 3:21-22

1Lawrence G. Lovasik, Rev., New Picture Book of Saints (New York: Catholic Book Publishing Company, 1979) 24.

2Saints Who Worked Miracles (St. Paul, MN: Catholic Digest) 19.

G39. Peacock [consider draw eyes closed, chin up, nose in air, hands on hips, about to step over cliff, amid danger signs]
Prov 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
[ Peacocks are often used as symbols of prideful, self-important, haughty people (those who think they are better than others). Peacocks spread out their tail feathers and put on quite a display--sort of like showoffs do. People who act like that are not much fun to be around. They tend to be rather mean, snobby, rude, "me-first-ish" and inconsiderate.
Jesus told a parable in Luke Chapter 18 about two men praying in the temple. The Pharisee thought himself to be pretty great, but the tax collector recognized his own sinfulness. Jesus explained that the tax collector was more righteous than the Pharisee, saying, "For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Mat 23:12)
God does not like us to be prideful, conceited or envious (Rom 12:3, James 4:6, Gal 5:26). The Lord wants us first to love Him, and second to care for our neighbors as much as we care for ourselves.
Many prideful people fall from their high position through stupid mistakes, poor decisions, being caught in sinful choices and numerous other ways (Prov 18:12). Often they learn the hard way through these experiences. They learn that having a gentle and humble spirit is a much better way to live--for one thing, if you flub up, you don’t have so far to fall!
Be wise. Learn from Jesus. Practice being humble and gentle (Mat 11:29, James 3:13).]
Ps 10:4
Obad 1:4 (KJV) Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set they nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.
Prov 11:2

G40. Prisoner [black & white striped costume (numbered on chest) and hat; in ball & chain, behind bars]
Ps 107:10-11 Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains, for they had rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High.
[ Sometimes when people do bad things and get punished for it, they try to blame someone else for their problems. Some people even try to blame their reckless folly on God. However, God does not tempt us (James 1:13-14). Instead, God provides a way for us to escape temptation (1 Cor 10:13).
God has also given us instructions that help us stay out of trouble in the first place (Is 48:17-18). Of course, our government has passed laws we need to obey to stay out of trouble as well. When we purposely choose to ignore God’s guidelines or break the law, we bring trouble on ourselves (Prov 1:29-32). When that happens, it is our fault and our responsibility. We must pay the price. We will suffer the consequences (results) of our disobedience, whether it be emotional pain, punishment, lost privileges, extra work, fines, traffic tickets or even imprisonment. God is not responsible for our disobedience.
To stay out of trouble and save yourself a great deal of pain, follow God’s rules and obey the law. Being free is way more fun (John 8:31-32)!]
Jer 4:18-19
Prov 19:3

G41. Quetzalcoatlus
Ps 104:24 How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
[ Most evolutionary scientists believe the dinosaurs died out millions of years ago. However, many creation scientists believe that there may still be dinosaurs in existence today.
For instance, the Quetzalcoatlus may still have been in existence until quite recently. In 1890, the Tombstone Epitaph reported that two men riding in the desert in Tombstone, Arizona, claimed to have killed a huge flying creature and saved a wing tip from it. They described it as having claws on its feet and its wings, and an eight-foot-long head like an alligator’s with many teeth. The actual description they gave sounds very much like the Quetzalcoatlus fossil found in Texas in 1972. Native American legends from Alaska to Mexico include stories about huge flying creatures whose wings made the noise of thunder when they flew. If the newspaper story is true, perhaps there is a connection between the 1890 sighting, the fossil and the thunderbirds. It certainly makes one wonder!1]
[Note: Scientists don’t agree on what happened to most of the dinosaurs. A large number of fossils found would seem to show that many died in the flood of Noah, being buried in water and preserved in mud/sand. Numerous theories address the possible reasons for additional dinosaur deaths and extinctions (e.g., disease, climate changes, a large asteroid impact, shortage of food, volcanic activity, earthquakes, a combination of these, etc.), but scientists don't know for sure.2]
Job 26:13

1Duane T. Gish, Dinosaurs by Design (Colorado Springs, CO: Master Books, 1992) 16.
2 Gish 76-77.

G42. Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669) [child dressed similar to one of his self-portraits, holding ornate frame in front of himself, empty pockets, surrounded by bills saying overdue, etc.; or find pic of his Raising of the Cross and show him painting it]
1 John 1:8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
[ Rembrandt was a famous Dutch artist who did some 650 paintings, 280 etchings and 1400 drawings. Fascinated by the Bible stories his mother had read to him, Rembrandt focused much of his art on religious subjects. Although Rembrandt sold much of his artwork, he had a weakness for living a rich lifestyle. Largely because of his irresponsible spending and sinful living, he went deeply into debt and eventually went bankrupt.
However, Rembrandt did recognize his own sinfulness. He made a point of putting himself dressed in his modern clothes into the scene of his painting, The Raising of the Cross, which depicted the crucifixion of Jesus. By doing so, he was showing that he knew he, too, was guilty of the sins for which Jesus died.
Like Rembrandt, we should always remember that Jesus didn’t just die for the sins of people who lived in the olden days. He died for all the sins that would ever be committed. We are all sinners and Jesus died for our sins, too. Jesus is the only mediator (kind of like a bridge) between us and our Heavenly Father. Through His death on the cross, Jesus offered salvation (forgiveness and heaven) to all those who confess their sins and accept Him as their Lord.
Hey! Here’s a neat thought. Are you a Christian? Are you into art? If Rembrandt actually accepted the Lord as his savior before he died, maybe we can take painting lessons from him in heaven!1 ]
Rom 3:9-10
Rom 3:23
1 Tim 2:5-6

1 Mark Galli and Ted Olsen, 131 Christians Everyone Should Know (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000) 107-108.

G43. Rich Man, Poor Man [richly clothed, lace-trimmed, be-wigged, raised-chin, smug, prideful dandy holding lacey hankie, standing next to happy peasant in patched clothing]
Prov 28:6 Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse.
[ You’ve probably heard the little ditty: "Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief, doctor, lawyer. . ." That brings up a point. Is it better to be rich? Not necessarily. Working hard and making money honestly in a respectable job is very admirable. It is good to earn enough to pay for what you need, to provide for your family and to always pay your bills. Doing these things shows one lives responsibly with integrity (honesty, high morals)!
But what’s the flip side? Some people become so focused on their money and possessions they become prideful and forget God (Deu 8:11-14). In that case it would be far better to be poor!
Then there are those who will do anything to get rich, such as through: dishonesty, crime, theft, being a bad influence on others, taking advantage of others, gambling or immoral behavior. All these types of things are perverse (wicked, corrupt). Don’t be envious of people who get money that way (Prov 24:19-20). It is far better to be poor (even very poor), but keep your integrity, than to gain money and possessions by doing bad things.
Do you want to live a happier life with a clear conscience and make good pay? Then get a good education that prepares you for an honorable job. We should earn however much we get--regardless whether that is a little or a lot--with honesty, with integrity, with godliness and without hurting others. That makes God a lot happier with us, too!]
Prov 16:8
James 2:5

G44. Sandwich Board Boy [boy in typical, 2-sided wooden advertising board from a ¾ view]
2 Cor 4:8-9 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
[ A sandwich board is a big pair of connected advertising boards that someone wears hanging over their shoulders. Sometimes in life our troubles and worries seem too heavy to deal with--kind of like hanging one of those big, heavy wooden sandwich boards on us that makes us feel kind of squished. Grownups call that feeling "stress."
When that stressful, squished feeling happens to you, take time to mentally get away from it all. Relax and talk with God. Lean on God. Read the Bible. Let God renew you. Let God give you the strength to carry on, in spite of those problems. Ask Him to help work those problems out. Or, ask Him to help you work them out and show you what to do. In the meantime, also ask Him to help you hang in there, stop worrying (Mat 6:27, 34) and give you a sense of peace in spite of your situation (Phlp 4:7, John 16:33). Be patient and trust in God.]
Ps 27:14
Rom 8:18
John 14:1

G45. Shadow [un-costumed boy with another bigger boy (covered in black from head to toe) looming over first boy and behind him in same position; perhaps make it plural Shadows with a boy worshipping hands up with a sign hanging from neck or above him on wall "Love & Faithfulness" (shadow in same position) and other boy with sign saying "Sin & Bad Choices," only make second boy hands covering face in shame, his shadow looming over him, hands raised, fingers like spread claws, ready to pounce on him]
1 Tim 5:24 The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them.
[ A reputation is what people think you are like. A good reputation can make life a lot more pleasant than a bad reputation in several areas: social, educational, sports, money, job, etc. A bad reputation can be kind of like a shadow that hangs around with you and is stuck to your feet. That shadow may fall in front of you or behind you.
When we sin (sometimes even just once), it can really hurt our reputation, not to mention get us in trouble! Sometimes our sins are so bad that they are like a big, ugly shadow looming in front of us. Then people who hear about those sins "ahead" of time, typically judge us even before they meet us. Other times, people may not know about our sins at first, but our sins can still "trail" along behind us. Then, even if people liked us at first, once they learn about our sins, they will typically change their opinion of us for the worse.
Yes, if we are truly sorry for our sins, repent (turn away from our sins) and ask God to forgive us, He completely forgives and even forgets our sins (Heb 8:12). Unfortunately, humans are not so merciful (kind). They often remember our sins more readily than the good things we do. Such people may avoid us, dislike us, gossip about us, distrust us, expect the worst from us, not hire us for a job, etc. In other words, the earthly "shadow" of sin can really make us miserable.
Try to do good things in life and develop a good reputation. Then you will never have to be afraid of your shadow!]
1 Tim 5:25
Prov 3:3-4

G46. Shot Putter [turning shot putter on the mark preparing to cast into sea]
Mic 7:18-19 Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives . . . You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
[ Did you know that everybody sins? That’s right. Everybody messes up! Unfortunately, unforgiven sin disqualifies us from going to heaven. However, there is good news: the Lord provided a way for us to be forgiven for our sins! That way is through believing in Jesus. Jesus died on the cross, to take our punishment for us and to purify us from our sins. If we confess our sins, accepting Jesus as our Savior, the Lord has a wonderful response! He acts kind of like a powerful shot putter and hurls all our sins away into the deep blue sea! Then, guess what? That means we are qualified to go to heaven!
Always keep in mind, though, that we still have to deal with the painful earthly consequences (results) of our sins. These consequences can take many forms: feelings of guilt, sorrow, regret, bad memories, disqualification for some desired goal, injuries, debts and more.
Would you like to avoid a lot of that unnecessary trouble in the first place? Just try to follow the good guidance God gives us in the Bible. When you do slip up, however, confess your sins to the Lord--and know that nobody is perfect (Rom 3:23, 1 John 1:8). God in His mercy is always ready to forgive you and He still loves you very, very much!]
Heb 8:12
Heb 10:22
Rom 4:7-8

G47. Square Dancers [show boy behind girl holding her right hand with his right hand, both facing same direction]
Is 41:13 "For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."
[ Square dancing is a very active kind of American folk dancing. There are special steps, turns and ways of holding hands. If you hold hands the correct way, the dance is wonderful. If you don’t hold hands the correct way, the dance won’t work right.
That can remind us that our heavenly Father holds the right hand of his faithful children with His right hand (Is 41:10, Ps 139:10). Picture that. Picture one of your parents holding your right hand in their right hand. When we are holding right hands with a parent, we are typically both heading the same direction, one behind the other.
Like a good earthly parent, the Lord often lovingly walks in front of His obedient children, protecting us, or behind us guiding us. However, if while holding hands we decide to ignore Him and not to cooperate, we may end up facing the opposite direction. Then we could be going in circles--like experiencing the same problems over and over again, never making any progress. Or if we don’t "know our right hand from our left" (Jonah 4:11; for example, don’t have much Bible knowledge), we may be completely unaware of what God says is best for us. Then we might not hold God’s hand at all, but instead, go our own direction and walk right into danger.
So hold right hands with your heavenly Father! When He walks in front of you, let Him protect you. When He walks behind you, let Him guide you with His gentle voice (Is 30:21). Hang on tight and always remember that He loves you!]
Is 41:10
Deu 31:8
Is 52:12

G48. Tattooed Man
Lev 19:28 "‘Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.’"
[ God doesn’t want us to put marks, tattoos or cuts on our bodies. Many people find they later regret having gotten a tattoo for a number of reasons, such as, they: (1) get tired of it; (2) decide it is ugly; (3) don’t feel the same way about the person or thing the tattoo represents; and/or (4) decide it detracts from their appearance because they think it looks unrefined, ungodly, immature, unprofessional, etc.
It is especially important that you never let anybody put an identification mark, tattoo or microchip in or on your forehead or hand. That could be the mark of the beast that the Bible talks about that will come about during the seven years of tribulation (very bad times). Getting the mark of the beast will show allegiance to the antichrist (a very evil man who will someday rule the world). Having the mark will allow the antichrist’s followers to buy and sell, but it will also keep those same people (who accepted the mark) out of heaven. That is a mark they will regret getting for all eternity.
However, there is a way to avoid any worries about the mark. If you truly accept Jesus, living a life pleasing to Him, you will be taken up into heaven at the Rapture (when true believers will be caught up with Jesus in the clouds, be changed from mortal to immortal and be taken to heaven without ever having to die). Accept Jesus now--avoid the tribulation and the mark!]
1 Cor 6:19-20
Rev 14:9-11

G49. Saint Valentine
Eph 5:31 . . . "a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."
[ There is very little reliable information about Saint Valentine. There was apparently even more than one Saint Valentine. According to legend, it appears that one of them was a priest who lived in Rome in the third century. Christianity was still an outlawed religion there at the time. Roman Emperor Claudius II had also forbidden marriage. He wanted soldiers who were willing to fight and not be concerned about their families.
Even so, Valentine was not afraid to preach the word of God. He still dared to teach about the importance of a proper marriage for men and women who loved each other��and�..he still dared to perform marriages himself. Brave Valentine was arrested. He was tried for practicing and teaching beliefs that didn’t agree with Roman law--an offense punishable by death.
Valentine was executed on February 14. The night before he was executed, he is said to have sent a note of thanks to the jailer’s daughter who had been kind to him and signed it, "Your Valentine." This is where we get the tradition of sending Valentine cards to friends and loved ones. Valentine courageously followed in the footsteps of Jesus by laying his life down for his friends (John 15:13).1]
Mat 19:6
Mat 5:19
1 Cor 13:13

If Jesus Sent a Valentine
There is a saint named Valentine
We honor on this day,
If Jesus sent a card just now,
I think He’d gently say:

"I long to give you strength for life,
And guard and bless your way,
And plan your share of Heaven’s joys
So please........do not delay.

"Choose this day which path you’ll take,
Don’t linger.........cross that line
And claim my name, my love is true,
Come, my child, BE MINE."
by S. WALTON

1 "Valentine's Day," Retrieved 3 Dec 2010 <http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day>.

G50. Voyager [with camera around neck, suitcase, sunglasses, in flowery vacation clothes, straw hat, passport]
Ps 119:19 [SEE FINISHED PAGE][ Living life is kind of like being on a long, educational voyage at a boarding school in a foreign country. During our voyage we experience both the blessings on earth that come from God (who has our best interests in mind) and the misery that comes from Satan (who hates mankind and wants to destroy us in any way he can). We have a chance to learn about God’s free gift of heaven and forgiveness of sins through accepting Jesus. We learn that the good things we experience in life are just a tiny reflection of God’s goodness and what heaven will be like. For Christians, our heavenly home with the Lord will be perfect, joyous and exciting! It will be much better than even our best times on earth--far better even than anyone can imagine (1 Cor 2:9)!
On the other hand, we also learn that earth’s worst pain, sadness, and loneliness are just a tiny reflection of Satan and what hell will be like--eternal agony, suffering and torment.
At some point, we need to choose who we want to give our loyalty to (God or Satan) and, therefore, what place we want to claim for our eternal citizenship (heaven or hell). This decision.......choosing where we will spend eternity.......is the absolutely MOST important decision we will EVER make in our ENTIRE earthly life! If we pay attention to what we learn on our voyage, we can see that Jesus (and His free gift of heaven) is clearly, clearly, CLEARLY the best choice!
Whenever we are ready, we can take the "final exam" (but the sooner, the better!). Everything we need to know is explained in the Bible. There is only one question, it is an open-book test and The Lord tells us in advance what the question will be: "Will you confess your sins and accept Jesus, the Son of God, as your Savior and Lord, whose loving sacrifice on the cross can cleanse you of your sins and make you worthy to live forever in heaven in the presence of God?"
If we are wise enough to choose Jesus, we pass the final exam! If we also help others choose Jesus, then, in a way, we even get on the Honor Roll (by earning a soul-winner’s crown: 1 Thes 2:19). When it’s time, we sort of graduate, receive our diploma and board the bus to heaven--the best senior field trip ever!]
Phlp 3:20
Heb 11:16
Eph 2:19
1 Pet 2:11

The Contrast, The Choice:
life on earth how God might explain it

Life here on earth is not how I please,
The evil one's tainted nearly all that he sees.
You've seen what he causes: pain, tears and death,
He reflects Hell where one rues every breath.
Let your tears show you my joys have more worth--
And help one to value my blessings on earth.

Life here is contrast, don't let that truth fade,
Follow me or follow him, a choice must be made.
You will through it all see life when it's sad,
And life when it's happy, upbeat and glad.
Then you must choose the path that you'll take
Heaven or Hell? There’s so much at stake!

My joys are mere hints of treasures in store
In Heaven for those who enter my door.
The choice is so clear, from experience you've had,
Eternally happy or eternally sad.
Make up your mind, please come take my hand,
Choose life up above, it’s immeasurably grand.
by S. WALTON

G51. X-Ray Man [typical patient costume, hospital robe/slippers; large, framed chest x-ray hanging down from neck in front of chest; holding Bible, pleasant smile]
Prov 3:7-8 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.
[ Don’t expect to be wise enough to figure out all the best guidelines for life all by yourself. There’s a much easier way! God did the work for us. He gave us the perfect information we need to help keep us healthy and to "nourish our bones" (Ps 18:30).
When people buy a new car, the manufacturer usually gives the new owner an instruction manual that tells them how to operate it and take care of it. This also helps the owner obtain the best performance, over the longest number of years and avoid the most typical problems.
Some people say the Bible is like an owner’s instruction manual for people--a manual written by God, our "manufacturer." He designed and created mankind. He knows what operational and maintenance guidelines we should follow for us to be healthier, stronger, happier and more at peace over the longest number of years. So, for fewer energy leaks, frayed wires and breakdowns, be wise........read your "manual"!]
Deu 12:28
Is 58:11

G52. Young Earth [boy in jeans, running shoes, white turtleneck and round earth costume wearing plain white baseball "polar" cap or polar-bear baseball cap]
Gen 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
How old do you think the earth is? Have you been told it is 4.5 or 5 billion years old? Would you be surprised to learn it is probably way younger than that? Based on Bible genealogies, Bible researchers have calculated that the Creation probably occurred as recently as 6,000 years ago.1, 2 , 3
There is no truly scientific or undisputed proof that the earth is more than a few thousand years old. However, geochronology, the science of determining the earth's age, can help us get a better picture. There are around 70 methods to help us estimate the earth's age, yet evolutionists prefer to use the three or four tests that would seem to indicate the earth is billions of years old. You see, evolution is the belief that lifeless matter just somehow became living matter, just by chance, without benefit of a creator, about three billion years ago and became more complex over a very long period of time. Therefore, evolutionists prefer to believe the earth is extremely old to fit in with their theory of how life began.4, 5, 6
Why would evolutionists believe life came from non-life when that makes no sense? And why would they believe that by adding billions of years, their theory of evolution would become more logical or more scientific? And how could they believe the incredible complexity of life and our entire universe could happen by chance without an intelligent designer to create it?
Could it be more than just the incorrect theories they were taught? Could this be, as some suggest, the evolutionists' way of denying that God exists? See, if they believe God does not exist, then they can also believe that there are no rules and they can do what they want without fear of punishment. But what they may not realize is that although God did give us rules, they for our own benefit (Is 48:17). Additionally, they help show us that we need a Savior (Rom 3:20, 5:20-21, Gal 3:24). God sent Jesus to BE that Savior: Jesus did "not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them" (Luke 9:56 KJV). So, if we confess our sins and accept Jesus as our Savior (therefore becoming Christians), He takes our punishment for us.
What the evolutionists may also not realize is that no accurately identified scientific, historical or geographical discovery has ever disproved ANYTHING in the Bible!7 People who believe in the Bible and accept the free gift of salvation through Jesus have nothing to lose and everything to gain. The bottom line is: Christians get to go to heaven with all its joy, love, family, friends, beauty and excitement........forever! Talk about a long time! It therefore follows that the most important and logical decision anyone could possibly make in their entire life is to believe in and accept Jesus as their Savior. Don’t let old- or young-earth issues keep you from making the right choice on where YOU will spend eternity!]
Gen 2:1 (KJV) Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

1 Dennis R. Petersen, Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation (South Lake Tahoe, CA: Creation Resource Foundation) 34.
2 Henry M. Morris with Henry M. Morris III, Many Infallible Proofs: Practical and Useful Evidences for the Christian Faith (Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 1996) 299.
3 Henry M. Morris, The Genesis Record (Baker Book House: Grand Rapids, MI, 1976) 44-45, 285.
4 Henry M. Morris and Gary E. Parker, What is Creation Science? (El Cajon, CA: Master Books, 1982) 14, 253-291.
5 Petersen 35.
6 Morris, Many Infallible Proofs . . . 274.
7 Morris, Many Infallible Proofs . . . 23.

An Extra Lesson: Methods of Geochronology and More
Are you an adult or a well-read teen who really likes science and/or more details? You may be interested to know that many evolutionary geologists have begun to realize that the young-earth model is the only logical explanation for our world. In fact, Dr. Henry Morris, author and co-author of several of the books referenced here, along with Dr. Gary Parker, another of the co-authors, are both former evolutionists. They point out that creation viewpoints are growing most quickly among well-educated people with scientific and technological training. 1
Some believe that indoctrination into old-earth theories is the biggest hindrance to belief in the Bible.2 While this section is lengthy, I have attempted to whittle down some of the more salient points that show the logic of the young-earth model. Perhaps it will be useful to you for your own information or to help you put some of these subjects into words your children or siblings will understand. If the information presented here helps you or someone you care about see that becoming a Christian doesn't require you to park your brain in neutral, it will be well worth the effort.
Finally, I should point out that while I do have a bachelor's degree, my background is not in science. For further information, I would recommend any of the reference books used here. They range in complexity from more scholarly works down to those suitable for sharing with elementary-school children. Most of them are available from Christian Book Distributors (www.christianbook.com) for a discounted price.

1. Inaccurate Age-Dating Tests:
The founding fathers of geology believed that the earth's many layers of sedimentary rock were the result of a worldwide flood. However, in the mid-1800's, evolutionary geologists began promoting the unscientific idea of uniformitarianism (where geological conditions have remained essentially the same over an immense period of time and are similar to present conditions). They believe this rules out catastrophic events like a worldwide flood. These two tests are the main source of their assumption that the earth is several billion years old.3, 4, 5
As stated above, evolutionists usually prefer to use the very few types of tests that tend to produce extremely old ages that support their theories, e.g., the uranium-lead and potassium-argon tests. Such radiometric dating procedures are supposed to indicate ages based on the decay of unstable elements. However, one of the major flaws of such tests is that unusual external conditions can accelerate these decay rates, producing test results of estimated ages that are way older than the true ages. As there is ample evidence for the Flood (see the Noah and the Ark costume section), and other significant, non-uniformitarian events (such as major volcanic eruptions, meteorite strikes, supernovas and reversal of the earth's magnetic field), external conditions clearly have not always remained the same. Therefore, one can see that accurate results could not be obtained using such tests. 6, 7, 8, 9

Some examples of serious flaws with these tests:

a. Misdating Rock: Potassium tests have assigned an age of 22 million years to volcanic rock from a less than 200-year-old Mt. Kilauea eruption--a date 100,000 times too great!10

b. Heat Can Distort Ages: When asked about conducting potassium-argon dating on some tree roots quickly fossilized by a fallen high-voltage line, scientists indicated that because heat was involved in the fossilization, results from this kind of test would show millions of years. This logically shows that volcanic activity could also distort test results. Volcanic activity was thought to be heavy around the time of the flood. The flood conditions created most of the world’s fossils, therefore, it is logical to assume that radiometric testing of flood fossils would produce very distorted ages. By the way, the quick electrical fossilization mentioned here also illustrates that fossils do not require millions of years to form.11

c. Conflicting Results: Different radiometric test results on the same rock stratum can produce age estimates that differ by millions of years.12

d. More Misdating: Carbon-14 tests can measure unstable carbon-14 isotopes in dead objects. Although C-14 tests can sometimes produce accurate results (most often in items that are less than around 3,000 years old), non-uniformitarian conditions (e.g., volcanoes, solar flares, meteors and even industrial pollution) can distort the results. Examples of incorrect results include: dating living mollusk shells as being 2,300 years old, fresh seal skins at 1,300 years old and living snails as 27,000 years old! Many archaeologists have stopped using carbon-14 testing because it is so unreliable.13, 14, 15

2. Astronomy: (1) Astronomers believe that the sun's diameter has been shrinking about one tenth percent every 100 years. At that rate, just 20 million years ago the sun and the earth would be touching each other, ruling out an earth age of 4 or 5 billion years. (2) The moon is moving away from the earth at about two inches per year, meaning it would have been touching the earth 2 billion years ago. (3) Supposedly old and young stars are located together indicating the "old" stars should have died out a million years ago. (4) Certain comets exist that should have disintegrated in just a few thousand years. (5) Some stars with powerful gravitational fields are surrounded by dust clouds that should have been sucked into the stars by now if the universe were old.16

3. Population: If mankind has been around for about a million years, as evolutionists believe, then it has been estimated that our population would have been the number 10 with over 2,000 zeros after it by now! Instead, the world’s population is a little under 7,000,000,000 people. This comparatively miniscule number fits with what would be expected starting out with the eight people on the ark about 2,350 B.C., an estimated date for Noah’s Flood. Just for the sake of comparison, the below number 10 has only 60 zeros after it, so a million-year-old population would be expected to be over 30 times the below number!17, 18, 19

10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000

4. Mt. St. Helens:
Creation scientists believe that catastrophic, worldwide forces at work during and after the Noachian Flood deposited many layers of sediment over a relatively short period of time (according to the Bible, the Flood lasted about a year). These local rock strata are, on average, about one mile thick.20 Evolutionary geologists believe these same stratigraphic rock layers took an extremely long time to accumulate.
Recent events displayed the logic of the creationist view. Specifically, the forces operating after the May 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens allowed modern scientists to observe that stratigraphic layers could indeed be laid down rapidly under catastrophic conditions. For example, a 25-foot-thick deposit consisting of over 100 layers formed in just one day on June 12, 1980 and hardened into rock within five years. This supports both the Flood model and young-earth calculations.21, 22, 23

5. Grand Canyon:
Creation scientists believe that conditions after the catastrophic Noachian Flood produced some significant erosion of the earth’s thick new sedimentary layers over a relatively short period of time. The Grand Canyon is a perfect example of what logically appears to be the result of a large amount of water running over layers of soft, muddy flood deposits (which probably occurred around the end of the Flood).24 As a more recent supporting example, erosion resulting from a small Mt. St. Helens eruption in 1982, quickly created a 140-foot-deep canyon. This demonstrated that large-scale erosion of sedimentary layers, such as those found in the Grand Canyon, could indeed occur rapidly under catastrophic conditions (unlike the evolutionary geologists’ uniformitarianist requirement of long-term processes).25
Further, studies of the Coconino Sandstone sedimentary layer in the Grand Canyon, along with related experiments, have indicated that elements of this layer were likely laid down in mere days in relatively deep-water, under catastrophic conditions (as opposed to the lengthy, dry deposition in that layer assumed by secular geologists). Interestingly, the studies also showed that fossilized footprints in this same layer, were likely laid down as the animals headed uphill in wet conditions. This, too, fits with the flood model where many animals would be attempting to climb above the water.26
The Grand Canyon may well be the best place on earth to view evidence of the worldwide flood. One can also see young-earth indicators there. Not only are there fossils embedded in the canyon walls, one can see folded rock strata. The unbroken folds show that rather than slow formations over millions of years, these layers were likely formed quickly while still soft from the flood.27

6. Geologic Chart: What evolutionists consider the strongest evidence for their theory of evolution is the fossil record. They use a geologic chart that supposedly shows progressive evolution over millions of years from less-evolved life forms in the lowest/oldest rock layers to the humans in the highest/newest rock layers.28 There are a number of problems with the geologic-column model. Below are a few of them:

a. Circular Reasoning: Geologists assign ages to rocks based on what types of fossils are in the rock layers. Evolutionists assign ages to fossils based on what rock layers they are in. This is illogical, circular reasoning, i.e., it proves nothing. Not only that, but the evidence points to the geologic column having been formed as one unit, in one age, during a relatively short time frame. Not only do the layers lack erosion between sediments, but rocks of all types, minerals and metals are found in every section of the geologic column, while oil and coal are found in almost every section.27

b. No Complete Geologic Columns Exist: Geologists have never found an example of a complete standard geologic column. It exists only on paper. A complete one would be about 100 miles thick or more. In reality, local rock strata are, on average, only about one mile thick.30

c. "Out-of-Order" Fossils: Strata that secular geologists believe is older (because of fossil content) is often located above strata that they think is younger. This does not fit with their geologic column model of oldest layers and least-developed forms at the bottom, progressing up through newest layers and most-developed forms at the top. In fact, the different age sections of the supposed evolutionary geologic column can appear in any order: top, bottom or middle.31, 32 [See The Monkey's Nephew costume section for more details.] A particularly interesting example of this is the evidence that man and dinosaurs have existed together even though dinosaurs are assigned to a less-evolved level on the chart. [See Job and the Dinosaur, Loch Ness Monster, Quetzalcoatlus, St. George and the Dragon, and The Monkey's Nephew costume sections for more details.] Similarly, an imprint of a sandal has been discovered in a rock from Utah with a fossilized trilobite embedded in the print. Trilobites supposedly died out way before man "evolved." 33

d. Polystrate Fossils and Quick Lithification: The most common way fossils are created is by rapid burial before the plant or animal decays. This fits with the flood model of quickly burying entire plants and animals in the flood sediments. Evolutionists think that the strata (layers of sedimentary rock) that the fossils are found in, take millions of years to accumulate. One of the many reasons this is not logical is because there is no evidence of the erosion between layers that their explanation would require. Numerous fossils, called polystrate (many strata) fossils poke through several layers (ex: fish and trees). If it did actually take a great deal of time for each stratum (single layer) to be laid down, the exposed part of the plant or animal would decay way before burial was completed. This clearly shows different stratigraphic levels were laid down rapidly, not over millions of years.34 As further evidence that lithification (turning materials to stone) and fossilization can occur quite quickly under the right circumstances, geologists have been finding rocks in a Norfolk, UK, marsh that have been forming in just a few months or years. These rocks often have fossils in them.35

e. No Transitional Forms. If the geologic column was truly a record of simple forms evolving into more complex forms, there would be fossils of transitional forms, i.e., fossils of creatures caught in the intermediate stages of evolution. So if, say, seals evolved into sheep, there should be sheepish-looking seal fossils. And if apes evolved into man, there should be ape-man fossils. In fact, even after finding billions of fossils, there are no true in-between forms of fossils of any kind. We find instead only abrupt appearances of separate kinds of creatures.36 [See The Monkey's Nephew and Cave Dweller costume sections for more details.]

f. There is a Better Model: The creation and worldwide flood models explain these problems well. The Flood laid down numerous sedimentary layers over a short period of time where we now find fossils of animals that ALL existed at the same time in fully developed forms. Where fossils appear in groups, this does not prove evolution at all. Instead, it can be considered comparable to what sedimentary layers would look like after a similar worldwide flood if it had occurred in our time. In other words, the related Flood/post-Flood conditions (i.e., turbulent water, volcanoes, earth movements, etc.) would produce burial patterns evidencing tendencies toward: (1) groups of animals living together in certain ecological zones (e.g., sea creatures would be buried in lower strata than creatures which lived on land above sea level); (2) more-mobile land animals being able to climb higher and delay their burial; (3) hydrodynamic sorting where certain round or streamlined sea creatures would likely end up at lower levels, being sorted by the movement of the water; as well as (4) a few areas where many types of fossils would be jumbled up together by those very powerful forces at work in the world at the time.37, 38

7. Young Evidences of Mankind: Most early written records of mankind, tools, pottery and other evidences of civilization are just a few thousand years ago. This fits in with the expectation that the Flood would have buried most of the evidence of the pre-Flood world. Either that or if one believes along with the evolutionists that man has been around for about a million years, it has been said that it took us an extraordinarily long time to get in gear and accomplish much of anything!39, 40 [For an explanation of modern man using stone tools, see the Cave Dwellers costume section.]

8. Trees: The oldest living things on earth are the bristlecone pine trees in the White Mountains of California and Nevada. Based on their annual growth rings, the oldest ones have been growing for about 5,000 years, so since about the time of Noah's Flood.41

9. Helium in the Atmosphere: A 5-billion-year-old earth would have up to a million times more atmospheric helium than now. Instead, current helium levels could be built up in less than 10,000-15,000 years.42

10. Top Soil: Scientists believe it takes from 5 to 20 thousand years for plant growth, decay and erosion to produce about six inches of top soil. With a worldwide average of only about seven to eight inches, we have just a few thousand years worth of top soil.43

11. Erosion: (1) Rivers carry eroded minerals to the ocean. Comparing the amount of dissolved minerals in the rivers and in the oceans, points to a relatively short period of time being required to reach the current level of density of minerals in the oceans, not billions of years. (2) If the earth was even just one billion years old, there would be 30 times more sediment in the ocean from land-mass erosion than there currently is. (3) If the earth were even just 14 million years old, all the continents would have been eroded down to sea level by now. (4) The amount of erosion evident at Niagara Falls has been estimated at having occurred over a period of only about 5,000 years.44

12. Stalactites/Stalagmites: Many people thought that stalactites took as much as millions of years of dripping to grow. However, stalactites can actually grow several inches a month and, e.g., have grown to five feet in some 50 years under the Lincoln Memorial. Further, a fossil found within a stalagmite (conditions not at all conducive to such fossilization/preservation) in a cave in Greece shows that stalagmite growth can also occur quickly under certain conditions. Such discoveries can be a little embarrassing. For example, over the years, the people in charge of Carlsbad Caverns have had to drastically change what they tell the public about the ages of such formations. Their sign went from saying 260 million years, to 7-10 million, then to 2 million and, finally, they just took the sign down.45, 46, 47

13. Moon Dust: Cosmic dust falls on the earth and the moon. Since NASA thought the moon was several billion years old, they expected over 50 feet of moon dust on the surface before the first moon landing. Instead, the Apollo 11 crew found only 1/8" to 3" of moon dust, more in keeping with an age of less than 8,000 years.48

14. Oil: It has been discovered that petroleum can be produced in thousands, rather than millions of years.49 The pressure in oil deposits is still quite strong. If the earth was billions of years old, the oil pressure would have dissipated long ago. In fact, the oil pressure would have lasted just a few thousand years.50, 51

15. Magnetic Field: The earth's magnetic field is decaying at a measurable rate. Measurements began in 1835. If the earth were just 7,000 years old and if the magnetic field has indeed been weakening continually over time, the field would have been 32 times stronger than it is now. Just 10,000 years the earth's magnetic field would have been so strong as to rule out the possibility of life on earth.52, 53

- - - - - - -

"A reasoning being would lose his reason, in attempting to account for the great phenomena of nature, had he not a Supreme Being to refer to." GEORGE WASHINGTON54

[Opportunities: For information on visiting the 7 Wonders Creation Museum near Mt. St. Helens, see http://7wonders.nwcreation.net/about.html . For information on taking a guided, creation-oriented rafting tour through the Grand Canyon, see http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/am/creation-destinations/grand-canyon . For a list of myriad national parks, aquariums, zoos, large-scale rock-strata sites, creation museums and/or related opportunities for exploration and study around the world, see http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/am/creation-destinations .]

An Extra Lesson: Footnotes on Methods of Geochronology and More
1 Henry M. Morris and Gary E. Parker, What is Creation Science? (El Cajon, CA: Master Books, 1982) 301-302.
2 Henry M. Morris with Henry M. Morris III, Many Infallible Proofs: Practical and Useful Evidences for the Christian Faith (Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 1996) 283.
3 Dennis R. Petersen, Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation (South Lake Tahoe, CA: Creation Resource Foundation) 64.
4 Gloria Clanin, In the Days of Noah (Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 1996) 72.
5 Morris, Many Infallible Proofs . . . 299.
6 Morris, What is Creation Science? 14-15, 276.
7 Lawrence O. Richards, It Couldn't Just Happen (Dallas: Word Publishing, 1987) 35-39.
8 Morris, Many Infallible Proofs . . . 300-301.
9 Petersen 46.
10 Morris, Many Infallible Proofs . . . 303.
11 Petersen 47.
12 Morris, What is Creation Science? 285.
13 Petersen 46-51.
14 Ken Ham, et al., The Answers Book (El Cajon, CA: Master Books, 1992) 74.
15 Morris, What is Creation Science? 14.
16 Petersen 37, 43-44.
17 Morris, Many Infallible Proofs . . . 305-306.
18 U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. & World Population Clocks, 25 Aug 2010, retrieved 23 Nov 2010 <http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html>.
19 Henry M. Morris, The Genesis Record (Baker Book House: Grand Rapids, MI, 1976) 285.
20 Henry M. Morris, Creation and the Modern Christian (El Cajon, CA: Master Book Publishers, 1985) 245.
21 Clanin 74.
22 Chris Ashcraft, "Mt. St. Helens: Evidence in Support of Biblical Catastrophe," Northwest Creation Network, retrieved 24 Nov 2010 <http://nwcreation.net/mtsthelens.html>.
23 "Seven Wonders Museum of Mt. St. Helens," Answers: Building a Biblical Worldview, 2009, retrieved 24 Nov 2010 <http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/am/creation-destinations/mt-st-helens-museum>
24 John D. Morris, Noah's Ark and the Lost World (El Cajon, CA: Master Books, 1988) 22.
25 Chris Ashcraft, "Mt. St. Helens: Evidence in Support of Biblical Catastrophe," Northwest Creation Network, retrieved 24 Nov 2010 <http://nwcreation.net/mtsthelens.html>.
26 "Startling Evidence for Noah’s Flood!," Creation Ex Nihilo, Vol. 15 No. 1, p. 47-50
27 "Grand Canyon," Answers: Building a Biblical Worldview, 2009, retrieved 24 Nov 2010 <http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/am/creation-destinations/grand-canyon>
28 Morris, What is Creation Science? 164, 240.
29 Morris, What is Creation Science? 16, 235-243.
30 Morris, Creation and the Modern Christian 245.
31 Morris, Many Infallible Proofs . . . 290-291.
32 Morris, The Genesis Record 213.
33 Petersen 93.
34 Clanin 67-75.
35 "Focus: Rocks forming in months," Unlocking the Geologic Record, 14 March, 2007, retrieved 24 Nov 2010 <http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/ee/geologic-record>.
36 Morris, What is Creation Science? 3.
37 Morris, Many Infallible Proofs . . . 289-299.
38 Morris, What is Creation Science? 164.
39 Morris, What is Creation Science? 15.
40 Morris, Many Infallible Proofs . . . 313.
41 Petersen 40.
42 Petersen 42.
43 Petersen 38.
44 Petersen 38-42.
45 Petersen 39.
46 Morris, Creation and the Modern Christian 188.
47 Keith H. Wanser, "Science and Origins Testimony #8, In Six Days, 2009, retrieved 24 Nov 2010 <http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/isd/wanser.asp>.
48 Petersen 35.
49 Morris, Creation and the Modern Christian 262.
50 Petersen 37.
51 Morris, What is Creation Science? 284.
52 Morris, Many Infallible Proofs . . . 304-305.
53 Petersen 42.
54 William J. Federer, America’s God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations (Coppell, TX: FAME Publishing, Inc., 1996) 660.

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Additions for one-year devotional:

[Day 365]
X365. Joker [court jester holding bow and arrow; full quiver hanging over shoulder; smirk on face]
Prov 26:18-19 Like a madman shooting . . . deadly arrows is a man who deceives his neighbor and says, "I was only joking!"
[ A madman shooting arrows doesn’t care who he hurts. Some people who say unkind things on purpose don’t care who they hurt either. Then if somebody gets upset with them for what they said, instead of having the courage to admit that they had been unkind and apologize for it, they will often say, "Oh, it was just a joke!" And as if that weren’t bad enough, they often add insult to injury--they pretend like there is something wrong with the person for getting upset!
Whether someone is joking or serious, unkind words hurt others! Mean words pierce our fragile hearts like sharp, poisoned-tipped arrows. Make every effort to avoid saying unkind things to others. It is okay to tell jokes and to laugh at others’ jokes, but only if they are clean jokes that don’t make fun of others and aren’t insulting to the Lord. So, if you can’t tell a nice joke, don’t tell any jokes at all. Keep in mind, too, that even if the object of a joke laughs, that person may just be trying to cover up the hurt they feel inside. Also keep in mind that you don’t need to be funny to be accepted. Good people would much rather have you say sincere, kind things than supposedly "funny" things that are mean.
Practice making the words you say be blessings to others!]
Prov 14:13
Lam 3:12-14

[Day 366-Leap Year]
X366. Leap Frogs [2 kids in frog costumes playing leap frog]
Ps 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.
[ When you are really, really happy, don’t you sometimes feel like leaping for joy? Walking with the Lord makes our lives much happier and more abundant here on earth (John 10:10)--sometimes it’s enough to make us leap for joy and make us want to sing out loud, too!
However, we know there will still be some hard times here on our way to heaven. That’s because for now this world does not operate according to the way God originally designed it (1 Pet 1:6-7). For instance, there may be days when people who don’t love Jesus are unkind to us just because we do love Jesus. If that happens, pray for them, be patient and be strong (Mat 5:44). Their unpleasantness toward us increases our rewards in heaven (Luke 6:22-23)!
It is sad when those people don’t believe in Jesus. It is so easy to be saved! Jesus offers us the free gift of salvation just for believing in Him, confessing our sins and accepting Him as our Savior and Lord (Rom 6:23, 10:9).
Some people think you need to do good works (good deeds) to get to heaven, but that’s not what the Bible says. It is our faith in Jesus that actually gets us there (Eph 2:8-9). But guess what? Doing good things does still count. It’s another thing that increases our rewards in heaven (Mat 6:20, 16:27)! Hooray! Leap for joy!]
Luke 6:23
Rom 10:9
Jer 17:10

[Day 367-To represent the new millennium]
X367. The Very End? [old-fashioned uniformed theatre attendant walking across stage (with curtains closed, floor lights at front edge of stage), getting ready to place large, fancy sign that says "The New Beginning" on large, fancy stage stand over sign saying "The Very End?"]
Ps 119:112 My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.
[ Have you heard frightening stories about the end of the world, the tribulation and the Battle of Armageddon? Would you like to know how to not be afraid of those things? Yes? Okay, first here’s some background.
The tribulation period will be seven years full of battles, disasters, violence, fire, plagues, famine, money troubles, terrible weather, earthquakes and more. The antichrist will require people to accept his mark in order to buy or sell (Rev 13:16-17). Those who refuse the mark will be slain if they are caught. Those who accept the mark will be condemned to hell for eternity. The Battle of Armageddon will be a huge, final battle in Israel at the end of this world period. Anyone who is not a true Christian will have to deal with those scary things (Heb 10:25-27). That’s the bad news.
Now the GOOD NEWS! True Christians won’t be here! Christians (those who have truly accepted Jesus as their Savior) will have been raptured. The Rapture is when the true Christians will be taken up to meet the Lord in the air, instantly changed from mortal to immortal and go to heaven without ever having to die--and all that before the really bad things start to happen (1 Thes 5:9, 1 Thes 4:17-18, 1 Cor 15:51-53, Is 57:1)!
There is even more good news for true Christians: the world will not end! After the Battle of Armageddon, it will only be the "very end of the age," never the very end of everything! Jesus will open His new millennial (thousand-year) kingdom on earth and the world will experience real peace and happiness. Things will be done according to His perfect will "on earth as it is in heaven" (Mat 6:10).
Then, near the end of the millennium, after another apparently brief battle with Satan, Jesus will bring forth a NEW BEGINNING: new heavens and a new earth--that will last forever for those who believe in Him (Is 65:17, Rev 21:1-8, 2 Pet 3:8-13)!
So, for true Christians, the end times of this world period are an exciting thing. They herald our "blessed hope" that we look forward to and are not a scary "doom and gloom" thing to be afraid of (Titus 2:11-14)!
Want to escape the coming hard times? Want to be gloriously happy forever? Want to reserve your spot in heaven, the millennial kingdom, then the new heaven and the new earth? Want your friends and loved ones to be with you? Yes, yes, yes and yes? Then accept Jesus today! Encourage all your friends and loved ones to accept Jesus, too (Deu 30:19, John 5:24)! Together we can all look forward to all things new! Come quickly, Lord Jesus (Rev 22:20)!]
Heb 6:11
Mat 28:20